ã€ŠThe Beauty of Egoã€‹


 That Fateful Night

    ¡°What am I even doing?¡± he asks himself.

    The streets of a struggling neighborhood are pleasant as always. Though even the shadiest streets of Germany aren¡¯t the worst streets to lay your eyes on, they¡¯re still a safety hazard for certain folks. The apartment next door is being excavated because the previous tenants left such a mess that it became a health violation leaking into neighboring apartments.

    ¡°Still¡­ A walk every once in a while is good for my studies, right?¡±

    As a 19-year-old young man, Shen is plagued by not only his studies but also his obnoxiously controlling parents telling him how to live his life. Those few hours of peace he gets by having a little nighttime stroll are incredibly soothing and almost heal all wounds. Yet these hours he gets to himself to think about anything other than his studies are always spent on an empty mind or worrying about what is expected of him.

    ¡°This summer has been hell but I still managed to pass with flying colors. Wish I hadn¡¯t spent that little break picking up a few more hours¡­ Not like it¡¯s my choice to begin with¡­¡±

    Not having to adhere to some kind of dress code is exhilarating. His boss can¡¯t tell him that shorts are unprofessional even though he¡¯s mostly standing behind a counter, never ever letting customers see his lower half. His parents have somehow conjured up all kinds of excuses as to why he should dress as if he¡¯s heading off to work at the Pentagon. Professionalism is what they claim to be the reason behind this farce when, in actuality, it has always been about control.

    ¡°You can all just go fuck yourselves¡­¡±, he grunts to himself.

    ¡°Should I head home? If I stay out too late, she¡¯ll take away my paycheck, right?¡± He¡¯s a grown man working enough hours to pay for his own necessities and a third of the rent, yet he¡¯s still worried about his parents taking away the money he earns.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time. I just hope she doesn¡¯t get up for a piss or a cup of water.¡±

    His thoughts regrettably wander to the past as he continues his whimsical life.

    <hr>

    It¡¯s just like any other day at school. Surrounded by a bunch of loud and immature 7th graders, Shen is quietly sitting in a corner, keeping to himself. Some are playing cards, others are chatting, a few are just lying on desks, and a pair of forgetful fools are trying to do homework.

    ¡°They¡¯re stupid anyway! Just because our teacher is sick doesn¡¯t mean that we should fool around!¡±, he thinks dejected simply because no one wants to interact with him.

    ¡°When they get in trouble for being too loud, I¡¯ll have something to laugh about!¡±

    ¡°Hey! Let¡¯s get some snacks. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re bored of just moping around while scribbling away,¡± exhales Felix, a little defeated by another lost round of Uno. Since Shen is a friend of his and unoccupied, he¡¯s dragging him along on his little adventure.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we gonna get in trouble?¡±

    Shen can¡¯t help but worry about what would happen if some petty or vindictive teacher caught them at the vending machines outside of designated hours. Felix blabbering on and on about some movie he had just watched in the cinema wasn¡¯t helping. Him talking as loudly as humanely possible probably only added to his anxiety. Everything went smoothly until Felix decided to take a random detour to the toilets leaving him with a bunch of candy bars, tiny bags of chips, and drinks.

    ¡°Should I go back? But he told me to wait¡­¡± He can¡¯t just leave behind his only friend, even if that friend wouldn¡¯t mind him going ahead and waiting in class.

    ¡°But I¡¯ll get in trouble! How would she react to a call?¡±

    Yet just as he returned, a teacher stood in the doorway lecturing his class on their guffaws. He returned just as she was finishing her little lecture, while Felix had gone into hiding to avoid getting reprimanded. His friends had texted him about the situation but not Shen. It somehow had slipped their minds that he had gone along.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°So what do we have here!¡±, she snarls. His English teacher, the person who always was quick to tell him that she could not understand a word he said, is the one giving a speech about how she¡¯d never had such a rowdy and disrespectful class in her entire career in teaching.

    ¡°Uh, I-¡±

    ¡°Um, uh, ah¡­ ¡± she says, mocking him.

    Experiences like these were common as he was growing up. The only thing he can recall from the aftermath of this event is being humiliated and getting his phone confiscated for several weeks by his mother.

    <hr>

    On his way back home, he takes a shortcut through a park known for its sketchy visitors, only to be met with an odd figure that seems too friendly to be a part of this world. He seems to be picking fights with random junkies that are just going about their night.

    ¡°Come on, fucker! You¡¯ve got more than that in you! You don¡¯t wanna be beaten by one of those oh-so-horrible fags, do you?¡± This boy is almost as pale as the moon, picking fights with people in a different weight class, and a head shorter than the tallest guys there. Ferocious and fearless, this little chihuahua is facing people that you shouldn¡¯t provoke.

    Shen remains a bystander wondering whether or not that kid is going to turn out okay. One of the junkies, easily above six feet and way over 200 pounds, gets up to face the pipsqueak knowing he could bury anyone that size. Slurring his words, he barely throws a punch as he slips over air. The kid had vanished meaning all the momentum of a fat drugged out behemoth is being launched forward to help him faceplant.

    ¡°How did he¡­?¡±

    Suddenly, the boy descends just a little taller than before looking more like a guy in his early twenties. Other than dashcams there are no cameras that could record this encounter. No one will ever believe what just happened.

    ¡°I should go back to bed¡­¡±, he tells himself as he quietly walks away.

    Powerwalking straight home, he starts to wonder whether he should head home. He just witnessed something magical, and he¡¯s just going to leave it at that?

    ¡°No! I was just imagining it because I¡¯ve only been having four hours of sleep.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t born with any special skill or power that comes close to this person floating and vanishing like a magician performing on stage. He has his duties, and he cannot indulge in these fantasies.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    But there exists a longing for more. His face twists and contorts as he wrestles between an encounter that could lead to an uncertain future or obeying the authority figures in his life just a little longer. Shen¡¯s heading down a solid path with two years of uni behind him and several internships below his belt. But he could also finally have as much fun as he always wanted to. Or he could just talk to this person and take it easy instead of expecting such a grand derailment from what could be a simple conversation.

    He jogs back, hoping the mysterious stranger hasn¡¯t left yet. Shen arrives just in time to witness his shenanigans come to an end. The magician is growing tired of the endless attempts to hurt his brilliance and decides to just break that man¡¯s leg with an audible crack. Shen awkwardly jogs by, terrified, while regretting his decision.

    ¡°This was a mistake! WHY did I go back?? I manage to power through years of school and university with almost perfect grades and I end up dumb enough to head back to this¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just going to jog by?¡± the magician asks. ¡°Aren¡¯t you interested in what I just did?¡±

    ¡°Huh? I¡¯m busy,¡± Shen answers, trying to keep him away.

    ¡°What am I saying?? I came back to talk, right?¡± Shen thinks.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bothering you then¡­¡±

    His opportunity is about to take off with ginormous bloody wings.

    ¡°BUT!¡±, he yells.

    ¡°But if you don¡¯t mind me asking, what are you?¡± he says a little softer.

    Only now does he get a good look at this mystery person. Pale skin more akin to the moon, black hair, a red sclera with a black cross as a pupil, pinkish freckles that are barely visible if not for his pale complexion, black nails, no shoes, worn-out shorts, and a cloak¡­ If not for his height and a few features that don¡¯t make him baby-faced, you could dismiss him as a strange young boy. There¡¯s something strange about his aura and his gaze speaks of curiosity.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asks.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for just calling out to you like that, but could you please tell me why you can fly?¡±

    ¡°Aha¡­ Can we talk about this some other day? I need to go¡­¡±

    But before he can take off, Shen grabs his leg and attempts to keep this strange magician grounded. He¡¯s simply shaken off like a toddler clinging to one¡¯s leg and stumbles over himself, yet he attempts to hold onto the magician again.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because you haven¡¯t answered my question.¡±

    He ponders for a second before giving Shen an answer.

    ¡°Because I can. Now¡­ would you let go of me? Pretty please?¡±

    Shen won¡¯t budge, nor will he falter. Something deep within him tells him he should continue to hold on. Whether that is safe or reckless is entirely irrelevant.

 Love and Fear

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to get rid of me just a second ago?¡± sneers the magician.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to talk to me just a second ago? You were the one that asked if I¡¯m curious!¡±

    ¡°So you did want to talk!¡±

    ¡°No, I don''t!¡±

    ¡°Which is it?!¡±

    ¡°I just want to fly!¡±

    They¡¯re at a standstill not entirely sure what they¡¯re doing as they argue. One of them initially acted cold despite the fact that he only came back to ask questions. The other one wants to leave and not elaborate any further despite being the one to start their conversation.

    Suddenly, Shen is swept off his feet as the magician takes off with him. Holding onto Shen allows the both of them to be airborne without risking death.

    Shen freezes, stunned by his sudden flight. Without uttering a word, the magical devil sweeps Shen off his feet and holds onto him like a toddler.

    Far below are all kinds of lights far fewer than he was expecting. He never knew that many streetlights would turn off not long after they had turned on. The few cars to be seen are all rushing along at top speed just trying to get home to their families while few wander out and about taking a little stroll. The people are so infinitely small that they¡¯re more akin to blobs waltzing down the road at a snail¡¯s pace. Many shops and stores seem to have some of their lights on long past their closing hours and far from their opening hours.

    Shen is flipped around so he can face the new moon on a serene night. It feels so much more luminous than it usually does from down below. The stars surrounding this beauty all seemingly swarm around it. Only now that he¡¯s several hundred meters in the air can he feel.

    They pick up speed until they are about twenty kilometers above sea level, when Shen suddenly starts falling with no one to hold onto him. At this eight and at the speed they ascended, Shen shouldn¡¯t be alive, yet he feels more alive than ever.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind hitting the ground right now. I won¡¯t mind if this is the last thing I see.¡±

    He¡¯s caught just before he can hit the ground just a few feet above the pavement as the magician has taken hold of him before he got the chance to pass in peace. The devil is filled with even more curiosity as he had never met such a peculiar person.

    ¡°You¡¯re not screaming, your heartbeat isn¡¯t all that high, and you¡¯re not terrified of me?¡± asks the magician. He slowly puts down Shen as his mortal companion starts to get dizzy.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I haven¡¯t even asked for your name,¡± says Shen as he¡¯s gasping for air. ¡°Just call me Shen.¡±

    ¡°Nikolay¡­¡±

    There¡¯s something perplexing about Shen. To Nikolay, Shen seems more like an oddity he needs to study.

    ¡°Say, how about we meet tomorrow? Got anything going on at 10 am?¡±

    ¡°I have a class to attend that morning. Maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°Never mind! Here in this park? At 10?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Guess that¡¯s a date then!¡± snickers Nikolay just before vanishing.

    Who would have thought that Shen¡¯s first date would be arranged by meeting a stranger at midnight in a sketchy park full of drug abusers? Praying that his parents aren¡¯t as invasive as they once were, he goes to bed setting an alarm for nine in the morning. Excited, he rushes home to put together the only outfit he owns that he¡¯d actually like to wear for a casual meet; something he bought for himself. Though his head is usually filled with worries, this night he can go to bed content with something to look forward to.

    ¡°What are you doing sleeping at this hour??¡± yells his mother as she barges in only for him to get up and promptly shove her out of the doorframe and shut the door on her.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll figure this out later,¡± he thinks as he checks the time.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Though a little early, he heads out to take a shower, brush his teeth, and douses himself in gasoline to get ready for his "date".

    ¡°But what if he doesn¡¯t show up? Was he just trying to get rid of me?¡±

    His thoughts begin to wander. Doubts begin to creep up on him as he grows more anxious. A wild stranger he has met the night by chance that seems to hang around junkies and alcoholics doesn¡¯t scream trustworthy and reliable. It¡¯s everything he¡¯s not and everything his parents would hate. Should he really just go ahead and meet this person, or should he salvage whatever he can by apologizing to his mother¡­

    ¡°This probably was a mistake! But don¡¯t I have to see it through?? I¡¯ve gotten this far, so I may as well¡­¡±

    Meanwhile, his mother is frantically yelling obscenities at him while trying to make her way in. Usually, whenever it would go that far, he¡¯d either freeze up till she found some kind of way to unlock the door or open the door and do as told. However, today is the day when he makes his own choice and doesn¡¯t cave under pressure. He unlocks the door while she attempts to block his path, but some Asian woman who¡¯s half a foot shorter than him can¡¯t exactly fight a grown adult man, can they? Shen waltzes through, taking his laptop, a small pencil case, a notebook, his phone, and his wallet; things he¡¯d usually take with him to uni and not to a date.

    Walking towards his rendezvous, he can¡¯t help but feel like people are staring at him. Every little glance of a random bystander or passerby feels like some sort of judgment as if he is in the wrong for not allowing his mother to push him around any longer.

    Finally, he makes it to the park half an hour early and sits down atop one of the wooden benches starting to get overrun by moss. To his surprise, none of the people from the night before are still at the park. Shen just never realized that they probably, even with their ongoing substance abuse, could have their own lives. He just expected them to hang around in the park all day for no discernible amount of time.

    ¡°Is he actually going to show up?¡± Shen asks himself. He has had friends claim that they would meet on a certain day only to bail without notice. If his friends were willing to just abandon him like that, what would a stranger do?

    ¡°Yo! How are you?¡±

    The devilish magician walks up to him from behind properly dressed in casual wear. He inspects Shen¡¯s choice for business casual, believing it to be strange that his date is constantly walking around looking like he¡¯s about to apply for a job.

    ¡°Anything you have planned for the day?¡± asks the devil.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s grab a bite and talk some more, alright?¡±

    They start walking towards their city square just browsing around as they more or less silently walk alongside each other. As they pass by a school, the devilish figure starts inspecting Shen. His curiosity leads them to a little conversation about their lives up till now.

    ¡°So¡­ you said something about class, right? Still going to school or uni?¡±

    ¡°Uni.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ So you¡¯re skipping today? Showing up isn¡¯t mandatory?¡±

    ¡°Some professors are kinda annoying about attendance, but a lot just don¡¯t really care all that much.¡±

    ¡°I did have two¡­ troublesome ones. One would just lock doors so even those through no fault of their own would just miss class. She wasn¡¯t having any kind of absences or disruptions and told some girl that her mother dying in hospice isn¡¯t a good reason to be late for class. Suddenly she was on "temporary leave" and then some entirely different prof held that class. Turns out she was well-known for incidents like these.

    There was also some other guy who always had something weird to say about his life. Everyone thinks he¡¯s nice and great and only wants people to learn, but I¡¯m not buying it.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had teachers like that before. They¡¯re always so nice and get along with the youth, but they also act like them. They¡¯re supposed to be adults, yet they¡¯re in on jokes and pick on kids as if they were just another student. Obviously, we need another dickhead at the helm and not some responsible person!¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you went through a lot of trouble¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah! There was one bitch that always had some kind of problem with a strange amount of kids that weren¡¯t of European origin. I¡¯m not saying she had her issues, but I realized there was some kind of pattern. A single glance at me and we¡¯d somehow start talking about the Silk Road, which is funny because the "new Silk Road" wasn¡¯t even really a thing when she was still my teacher.¡±

    ¡°Woah! I had such a nutcase too. She¡¯d look at me for 0.2 seconds and would go off about Russia when the last Russian ancestor I have died almost 100 years ago. I¡¯m from fucking Slovakia! Why the fuck are we talking about Russians??¡±

    They revel in their shared difficulties growing up with several micro-aggressions faced from teachers to the point that they almost forget to grab a bite at their closest fast food chain. They go on to talk about so much more. Hobbies, dreams, favorite places to visit¡­ but unfortunately, each day has to come to an end.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasted so much time on stupid stuff that I completely forgot about what I came here for!¡± Shen chuckles. It seems as though he had a great time.

    ¡°Sure. Sure. I¡¯ll show you something worthwhile next time.¡±

    Next time¡­ After all these years, Shen has something to look forward to.

 Just Truthhood and Honesty

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to show me something interesting?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°Excuse me? Discovering yourself is very interesting!¡±

    Semester break is in full swing as even the last few university courses are bringing an end to their hellish testing phases. Shen is finally free to do whatever he wants, though that usually doesn¡¯t amount to much, as he tends to take on lots of overtime just to keep himself busy. Two years of uni are behind him, and just one more is ahead if he performs as well as he has done so far. Entirely clueless and full of dread, he knows not how to handle the coming years. As such, Nikolay¡¯s response to his plights is shopping and rediscovery.

    ¡°And tattoos!¡± Nikolay adds.

    ¡°No.¡±

    The sun¡¯s welcoming rays of grace are a horrible form of torture for someone who only ever leaves home for work or uni. Even ice cream, a day at the beach, and a pleasant stroll through town are arduous tasks for Shen and rather unusual. If he leaves the house of his own volition, then only for the silent nights and empty streets. As such, almost anything he wears is neutral and often unfit for more extreme weather.

    Nikolay even went as far as heading to another city so they could also enjoy the fine sights and activities there. Though Shen is worried about having to drag around bags of clothing for the entire day, he¡¯s reassured over and over that magical means can deal with any problem that may arise throughout their day trip.

    ¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t think my parents would approve of-¡±

    ¡°Who cares? They¡¯re not here, so may as well do whatever the fuck you want.¡±

    ¡°But my bank account would-¡±

    Once again, Nikolay interjects, waving his finger at Shen.

    ¡°You can pay me back when you ditch them, or they stop having a massive stick lodged up their rectum. Now stop worrying and enjoy yourself.¡±

    A lovely day off and he doesn¡¯t have to pay for any of it? There¡¯s not much else left to do other than enjoy himself.

    The bus finally takes the two of them to their final spot and their grand destination. The only task Shen was given beforehand was to create a list of things that needed to be done at each pre-planned destination. Since the Olympia Mall houses all kinds of shops, they only have so much time for so little. First on the list is to get new shoes, even if Shen¡¯s pair of sneakers are only a few months old. A redefining look means a redefining walk, which cannot be achieved without redefining shoes.

    ¡°How do we feel about sandals, huh? Those look great, right??¡± Nikolay asks. It¡¯s more of a request than a suggestion.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not expose my feet¡­ Sneakers are fine and summer¡¯s ending anyway.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Summer¡¯s ending and we¡¯ve only met thrice in two months!¡± replies Nikolay feeling neglected.

    ¡°We have to make more time for next summer! And for that, we need to be prepared!¡±

    He pushes Shen onto a stool and runs off to pick up more pairs of shoes. It¡¯s strange. He¡¯d pick a new outfit maybe twice a year and stick with that. Since he hasn¡¯t been growing these past four years, new wear wasn¡¯t much of a need.

    ¡°He¡¯s been so nice and I barely could make time for him? Is he like that with everyone?¡±

    Trying on his new pair of shoes he can¡¯t help but wonder if Nikolay always acts like that or only acts like that for him.

    ¡°He even picked shoes my size. How¡¯d he even find that out? Magic?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re more colorful than expected. How¡¯d he even find these?¡±

    They¡¯re form-fitting and incredibly comfortable. Though he¡¯s a little off-put by the white sneakers with rainbow streaks, something about them truly speaks to him. Strangely, a sense of belonging fills him whenever he¡¯s around Nikolay.

    ¡°Here¡¯s some more! I can¡¯t grab anymore without getting in trouble with the staff.¡±

    All jolly and overjoyed, he tries on a few shoes of varying sizes. They all seem to fit him perfectly, and his feet always have the right shape. It¡¯s another one of the oddities that surround him and his origin.

    ¡°You said you¡¯d show me something worthwhile,¡± Shen remarks.

    ¡°Ah, right¡­ If you want to know, we can cut all this short. I didn¡¯t mean to waste your time.¡±

    Shen ponders for a second before giving an answer.

    ¡°No. We have time. There are a few more weeks of summer. But you¡¯re kind of avoiding all that, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°A little bit¡­ I only know so much, so I hoped that two heads would help me learn much more.¡±

    ¡°I guess that kinda makes sense¡­ I should have just said so from the beginning. It¡¯s not like I HAVE to learn how to fly.¡±

    They continue trying out all kinds of pairs before buying several. For now, carrying them by hand should suffice. A single bag should be enough to carry just a handful. Their next destination takes them straight to a clothing store. Shen would prefer Nikolay just walk around in the mall to kill time, but he can¡¯t seem to shake him off, and once again, this devil is bugging him telling him to do all kinds of things.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.With destination two come even more choices and even more people exchanging glances and stares of disapproval with some even grimacing at what they consider odd. While Nikolay waits for Shen to test out his first outfit, a teenage couple walks into the stall next to Shen¡¯s.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± says a disgruntled retail clerk. ¡°What you¡¯re doing is inappropriate. On behalf of the company, I¡¯ll have to ask you to leave.¡±

    Nikolay knew just what exactly she meant by ¡°inappropriate¡±. She begins to cry and pee herself as if she had lost control of her bladder. Embarrassed and teary-eyed, she steps away and disappears into what is likely to be a storage space only for employees.

    ¡°Bye Bye,¡± he says as loudly as possible to attract as many onlookers as possible.

    Shen heads out of his stall clothed and ready to be judged on his fresh new appearance. Confused by the onlookers staring at the small puddle and the trail leading away from them, he points at what the clerk had left behind. Nikolay simply waves his concerns away, grinning.

    ¡°Red cargo shorts, a beige shirt, and a blue vest¡­ I was hoping it would look better than that.¡±

    He takes a few seconds to think.

    ¡°There was also a vest in white, but white¡¯s gonna stain just by stepping outside. Let¡¯s get rid of the vest.¡±

    ¡°Are we going to do that for everything you brought me? Even the plain jeans?¡± Shen asks, somewhat embarrassed. His shyness is getting the better of him.

    ¡°Yep. So get ready for more. Be glad that I didn¡¯t bring you lingerie!¡±

    Shen throws the vest at Nikolay quickly closing the door before this fiend can recover. He takes a proper look at himself hating the bit of gut he has slightly spilling out from the sides. He¡¯s perfectly average in height and weight but usually doesn¡¯t take a proper look at himself and whatever he¡¯s wearing. Just underneath the door, he can see Nikolay''s foot tapping. Whether that is a sign of impatience or restlessness is up to Shen¡¯s mind.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t have to bring me that much¡­ Is that even allowed? There¡¯s even a sign telling me to take only four items with me, and I have four SETS. Was that why the store clerk talked to Nikolay?¡±

    He puts on black skinny jeans¡­ too skinny jeans. He barely fits into them and feels like they show too much form. The pink and white checkered T-shirt looks quite nice atop the jeans. Nikolay has more of a fashion sense than expected.

    ¡°You know¡­ a size bigger could be nice. Should I head out like that?¡±

    This time, Shen struts out with his head held high and great posture. Like a model atop a catwalk, he starts posing, trying to entertain Nikolay. Stopping after just a few seconds of presentation because of embarrassment, he heads back into his chamber with an awkward grin. Nikolay was enjoying the show and almost booed when it ended.

    ¡°Too skinny!¡± Shen says as he hands Nikolay the pair of jeans through a small crack. Immediately, he almost pokes out Nikolay¡¯s eyes to prevent any peeping.

    After several trials and challenges, they finally depart just as the irritating clerk returns after a change of wear. As they walk past her, Nikolay acts as if he¡¯s wiping away tears, playfully scowling and cowering as they leave.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more about it later.¡±

    Shen and Nikolay head to the restrooms along with their endless amount of bags. Locking the two of them in a stall, Nikolay finally reveals how they will handle their baggage. His hands turn bloodred, as do the bags in Shen¡¯s hands. With a simple touch, they turn into blood. Upon their liquification, they turn into bloodred orbs and disappear into Nikolay¡¯s hands.

    ¡°See. Nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°So where did they go? They¡¯re not stuck like that, right?¡± Shen asks trying to decipher the mechanisms of Nikolay¡¯s powers.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you later. Let¡¯s enjoy this day as much as we can, okay?¡±

    ¡°Lots of shrinkage I¡¯m seeing but not a lot of explanations,¡± he snarkily remarks.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean, huh??¡±

    Nikolay leaves the stall as Shen tends to his business. Since it¡¯s already well past noon and their main quest is completed, their stomachs ask for nourishment. Nikolay was trying to convince Shen to just let the two of them splurge on lavish meals that he alone would finance, but his companion wasn¡¯t agreeable when it came to spending even more on someone he barely knew.

    ¡°So? You still haven¡¯t told me why you¡¯re doing all this? What¡¯s with the excessive spending on a stranger?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not¡­¡± He hesitates for just a few seconds.

    ¡°There are a few things I have to ask you first.¡±

    He looks rather serious. For now, Shen¡¯s just listening even putting a stop to eating.

    ¡°What do you think I do?¡±

    Shen ponders for just a few seconds.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about that¡­ Loiter around? But then where would you get all that money, huh?¡±

    Nikolay hands Shen his ID. ¡°Mustermann M¨¹ller¡± born December 9th 1973¡­ None of it aligns with anything Nikolay has claimed so far about his identity. The only thing these two people share is their nationality. How could Nikolay be a bald, blue-eyed 40-year-old man?

    ¡°Did you steal that? From who?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°This guy died just before his 39th birthday. No passwords on any of his electronics, an endless amount of pornography, a filthy apartment that clearly hadn¡¯t been cleaned for a while¡­ Since no one was missing him, I could just assume his identity.¡±

    He looks downtrodden and cannot look Shen in his eyes. Dread and guilt seem to fill him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not human either. My home life wasn¡¯t great, and I just snapped,¡± he claims, trying to look cold and detached.

    ¡°I went berserk, and they combusted while we were away on vacation. Since we weren¡¯t well-beloved, there barely was an effort to find us, and the news died down quite quickly.¡±

    His thoughts spiral and wander.

    ¡°If I look up now, what will be his reaction?¡±

    ¡°Look at me,¡± Shen says.

    Nikolay cannot lift his head as if something were weighing on him.

    ¡°I said, look at me!¡± Shen commands as he pulls at Nikolay¡¯s hand. He seems to pity him to some extent. There¡¯s not a hint of fear as his hands remain steady.

    ¡°Why are you telling me all this now? You could have lied and just had a nice day.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to lie to you.¡±

    ¡°Can you still use combustion?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t triggered it ever since.¡±

    Shen smiles to Nikolay¡¯s surprise.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing I have to worry about. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like to find out why it all happened, right?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Why would you be so vague if you had no intention of lying to me? Did you like touch them and set them on fire? Did you intensely stare at them? And you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not human, but you had family. And they were looking for you and the rest of your family on the news, right?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Two heads are smarter than one. I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re some heartless demon. I think you¡¯re just Nikolay, and together, we can figure out what happened to you and what you currently are!¡±

 Lone Flights for Lone Nights

    ¡°Why¡¯d I have to say all that!!!¡± screams Nikolay.

    Sitting in his shoddy apartment, he wonders why he¡¯s just such a contradictory person. With him is a young man looking exhausted just waiting for his little tantrum to end. Just a plain shirt and shorts with a cigarette in mouth.

    ¡°Stop yelling. You¡¯re gonna get in trouble with your neighbors,¡± says the smoker.

    ¡°Besides, despite the fact that you were trying to self-sabotage once again, it worked out fine. He even gave you a keychain.¡±

    It¡¯s a four-leaf clover. Shen had gifted him a good luck charm as a keychain to at least promise Nikolay to repay him.

    ¡°Well¡­ I could have just kept my mouth shut like he said and then just stopped contacting him! Look what I¡¯m dragging him into. And we¡¯re going to be entirely clueless too! And you don¡¯t want to tell us anything! And you can¡¯t help me forever!¡±

    He¡¯s somewhat distraught. Though calm, collected, and constantly smiling around Shen, he¡¯s panicky and overly pessimistic around his friend.

    ¡°But at least now you¡¯re past the worst of it,¡± claims Nikolay¡¯s friend. ¡°I know I¡¯m not exactly exemplary but I¡¯ve gotten past that stage you¡¯re in and you¡¯re doing quite well despite the fact that I cannot tell you anything.¡±

    They seem to have a peculiar relationship. Maybe even this helpful smoker¡¯s name is something Nikolay is unaware of.

    ¡°But you¡¯re doing well now! You¡¯ve got a kid and a wife!¡± Nikolay shrieks as a rebuttal.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the heart to tell you everything. So I¡¯m still that same old deplorable kid from back then. You¡¯re doing so much better with a lack of information than I ever did knowing so much more than you did,¡± he claims.

    He gets off Nikolay¡¯s couch and prepares to head out. He hesitates as his hand lies on the door handle.

    ¡°Well¡­ If you ever get desperate, somewhere in Bavaria there are the Magi. They seem to take kindly to outcasts like you. There¡¯s also Cursed Child who seems to house any lost lamb for at least a few weeks. Should you ever be at your wit¡¯s end, just try to get to Bavaria. They¡¯ll probably find you before you can find them.¡±

    ¡°I guess with your kid and all that you can¡¯t really risk it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he says as he closes the door behind him.

    Their goodbyes always seem so sad. This nameless smoker has been by Nikolay¡¯s side pretty much since the day he has had these powers. Nikolay just happened to stumble upon this home and find this deceased stranger¡¯s corpse by accident. In a panic, he discovered that he could shapeshift into others and just a few weeks later, the chain-smoker showed up to provide aid in exchange for his services. Tonight is another night where his services are needed.

    ¡°Another nifty one, huh? Hostile or friendly?¡±

    Nikolay is flying over the city as he senses some kind of anomaly. He observes an incredibly small crack in space that would be impossible to see for the human eye. He flicks it a few times before it reacts. The cracks spread around Nikolay before completely shattering and revealing an almost empty void. The bright white light that stretches into infinity seems to have no origin or end. Within the void lie three meters tall and a meter wide evenly spaced out from one another by about ten meters. He can spot something golden somewhere in the distance not entirely sure if whatever he¡¯s facing is hostile.

    ¡°Do you understand me?¡± he asks.

    Its only response is that of the mirrors. Though they wouldn¡¯t reflect Nikolay¡¯s image just a few seconds ago, they¡¯re perfectly displaying him in full vibrancy. Some remain empty leaving Nikolay a little uneasy and uncertain on whether or not they can communicate.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    His image nods unlike the real him signaling a common understanding. They smile now that they know some form of communication between the two of them is possible.

    ¡°Should I get closer or ask for permission first?¡± he wonders.

    ¡°Am I allowed to get closer?¡± he asks.

    It nods.

    He flies toward the source of light as he summons a few droplets of blood. They stretch out into frames and turn into solid pictures revealing several girls no older than toddlers. The mirror images shrug as he draws closer. Finally, he¡¯s faced with the source of the golden shine. It¡¯s just one warm ball of light surrounded by metal plates that likely can form a shield completely blocked it off from the outside world.

    ¡°Have you met any of these girls?¡± he asks.

    The space rumbles as a few mirrors shatter. His image disappears from all of them as its plates shield the sentient sphere.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall¡­ Mirror, I guess? Have you met any of these girls?¡± he asks again more intense than ever.

    Aged-up versions in their early teens are displayed on several mirrors as the space begins to rumble again. Of these dozen girls, several had their heads incinerated by a speeding light, few were crushed by the metal plates, and one of them was swallowed whole by the ball of light vaporized upon coming in contact with it.

    ¡°You killed them, didn¡¯t you?¡± His gaze now is that of disdain.

    Two metallic balls with a red blinking light are now positioned between Nikolay¡¯s fingers. His hand moves closer as if to deliver the finishing blow. Yet suddenly his kneecaps are gone as everything beneath them floats away fully detached from his body. In shock, the spheres explode without warning scarring his hand. He floats away in shock wherein a few seconds of hesitation allow one of the metal plates to come off hitting him in the chin. Unable to move due to the concussion, he panics as his body goes limb. Several mirrors around him have shattered.

    ¡°What just happened?? How did it do that? Was it that speeding light???¡±

    His thoughts spiral and wander as he, in a panic, gets his body to fly in the direction his eyes are facing. In his attempt to fly to safety, he spots a humanoid figure of light wielding some kind of cone-shaped weapon. It¡¯s bouncing from mirror to mirror at increasing speeds before it becomes too quick to observe. Every mirror it has bounced off from shatters after contact. Those few moments he spent distracted observing that creature, he bumps into a mirror flying straight through it before the light could ever reach him. Flying straight through the mirror it somehow shatters behind him even though it should have shattered on impact.

    He can feel himself growing more mobile as he regains control of his bodily functions. Nikolay spends a few moments surveying his environment. The closest shattered mirror he can observe is about a kilometer away from his location other than the mirror right behind him

    ¡°Did I just teleport?¡± he asks himself. With just a few more seconds of observation, he can tell that he¡¯s in a different part of this monster¡¯s space.

    ¡°Teleportating mirrors, metal plates that shield from harm, some kind of minion tearing through victims at increasing speeds, creating images and recollecting memories through them¡­ It¡¯s called Mirror yet what should be the master of this space is just some stupid ball of light with a metal shield¡­¡±

    His legs are slowly but steadily growing back into their original state. The ¡°master¡± seems like a coward but reacts angrily to its name. Maybe he can use that to his advantage.

    He spots the speeding light once again trying to predict which angle it is bound to attack from but with the way these mirrors work, he has an idea as to how he can fight this thing entirely unscathed. His leg stumps are close to fully regenerating into functional legs. Nikolay hides behind a mirror wondering if he should just teleport again before ultimately deciding that it¡¯s best to fight.

    With an outstretched arm pointing behind him and another one of those exploding gadgets lying within his palm, he looks into the mirror, knowing that it won¡¯t show any reflections. Suddenly, the little tool explodes, taking with it his lower arm. The speeding light is now right behind him. It has stopped in its tracks, floating away due to the explosion.

    Nikolay immediately dispatches blood spikes from his damaged arm and shatters every mirror in the vicinity.

    ¡°It gains speed by bouncing off mirrors and slows down after some unknown condition. Not that it matters anyway¡­ With nothing to bounce off of, it¡¯s entirely defenseless. I can kill it.¡±

    The spikes of blood tear it apart shrinking in the process due to the heat partially evaporating them.

    ¡°Mirror, mirror on the wall; you whore are not the fairest of them all!¡± he screams knowing that he¡¯s a kilometer away from the master of this space.

    The space violently rumbles as he spots a beam of light drawing closer. He flies away in haste terrified that he had possible gone too far weaving between mirrors in hopes of evading this attack. However, the beams grow more numerous as the original one splits and spreads by bouncing off of mirrors. Nikolay crashes right into a mirror hoping that he would teleport yet it seems that not all of these mirrors seem to carry that ability.

    ¡°I thought it had no control over the teleporting mirrors!¡± he thinks dumbfounded by the sheer luck he had earlier not helping him out again.

    Some shatter before he can reach them clearly ordered to do so by the hostile girl-murdering being. He summons several dozen bombs to intercept the beams He barely escapes this assault on him before flying into a mirror that sends him near the sphere of light within its protective sphere of cowardice. His opponent stops spewing its beam and closes the hatch it was shooting light from as it flies off in an attempt to escape. Even it doesn¡¯t know which mirror initiates teleportation meaning it has to crash through several of them before escaping its pursuer.

    ¡°Fucking coward!¡±

    Now that all his limbs are regenerated, he lets the currently least needed limbs, his legs, explode into droplets of blood and create several hundred spikes sent out just to destroy every mirror that exists within this space. Due to prior run-ins with such monsters, he concludes that this space is limited and loops in on itself. After venturing just a few dozen kilometers one should end up at their point of origin which would be impossible to tell without some kind of marker due to the objects inhabiting this space.

    Finally, now that all the mirrors are gone, it can¡¯t flee any longer. It can only attempt to shoot down Nikolay with its beam. He draws closer and closer with a dagger made of his hardened blood. One jab is enough to kill it as the space around him shatters along with the monster. The only thing left behind is the peculiar structure it had left behind.

    ¡°Another one down, another week¡¯s worth of groceries secured!¡± he tells himself utterly exhausted.

    The object left behind is just a crescent moon with a mirror connecting the tips of the ends of the crescent along with a thin cross with spiky ends lodged into the crescent moon pointing at the ground. It slowly floats into Nikolay¡¯s palms lightly hovering above them. A remaining bubble of blood swallows it whole.

    ¡°Better head to that park to replenish some energy,¡± he thinks as he flies off exhausted.

 Totally Average Day for a Totally Average Guy

    His dreadful day at work is finally coming to an end. Just a few more minutes till he can depart and head home. Just a few more rowdy disrespectful customers borderline hurling insults at him. Just a few more commands from a shitty boss telling him off for not being capable of doing the job of 2.5 employees while also telling him off for taking seven minutes instead of five to take a shit. He¡¯s counting down the seconds excited now that only 100 are left.

    ¡°Just two more customers¡­ I can go after two more customers!¡± he tells himself trying to keep his composure.

    For whatever reason he¡¯s the only cashier standing at the cash register at noon when there should be two. His boss, despite repeatedly telling him to just holler if there are too many customers, is sitting in his little ventilated office just typing away at his PC. Whenever he "helps", he¡¯s always standing in the way acting like he¡¯s completely incapable weaponizing his incompetence. Whenever Shen calls for help, he has to deal with the ¡°Why didn¡¯t ask for help earlier¡±-spiel expecting his little slave worker to predict the influx of customers coming in at all times.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Shen, but I¡¯ll have to ask you to stay another ten minutes if that¡¯s okay with you¡­¡±

    "If that¡¯s okay with you" makes it seem like he has the option to decline. It¡¯s never okay but if he doesn¡¯t do as told all he¡¯ll get to hear about is how ungrateful he is despite being taken in by these oh-so-kind family-owned business when it¡¯s oh-so-hard to get a job these days. Shen can feel something boiling over. Though he usually would just keep to himself and do as told, he can¡¯t help but feel like he has to fight back.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry but I have something planned for today,¡± he replies. Despite all the scrutiny he faces whenever he is even slightly out of turn, he cannot be arsed to give a shit. He simply decides that now¡¯s the time to clock out.

    ¡°But I need you to take over. Emilia is on break and I have to go!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±

    He beelines straight for his bag practically running out of this stupid kiosk with his boss telling him all about how he could fire him and how hard it would be to find a new job. Shen can come in the next day anyway without worry because they¡¯re constantly understaffed and cannot afford to lose their little black sheep that consistently gets beaten around for being the naive new guy despite working here for far longer than half the employees and almost being employed for a year.

    ¡°What does Nikolay even do as a job? I never really asked or did he skirt around that too?¡±

    Usually he¡¯d walk straight home without hesitation or a moment taken to rest or shop. Today he feels a little peculiar. Even though they¡¯re supposed to meet in just a day, Shen can¡¯t help but feel the need to meet him now. There¡¯s something tugging at him. There¡¯s no harm in contacting your friend, right?

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t be harrassing some random homeless people right now, right? But the guy he was harassing was also a dickhead consistently getting on my nerves coming in either stoned out of his mind or so violently drunk that he¡¯d have to be talked down to like a child. Who cares about those fuckers?¡±

    He stops in his tracks for just a few seconds.

    ¡°Was I always that vulgar? Or is that something only Nikolay would say?¡±

    Across the street is a small caf¨¦ that he¡¯s always been interested in. He¡¯d walk by on his way to and back from work just to take a quick look and pass by. Since his parents were always pestering him to do something. By the time they were home from work they¡¯d want him home too. The only time he gets off is when his dad is off to go barhopping with friends as if he¡¯s still a first year in college while his mom scrolls away on her phone. He can skirt by by making up excuses for university but even that occasionally isn¡¯t enough.

    ¡°Might as well check it out¡­¡±

    The inside looks rather cozy. There¡¯s just one employee manning this whole operation but it seems as though they¡¯re doing fine. The shelves and the decorations give off the vibes of a retreat deep in a forest unbothered and untouched by urban disharmony. Even the seats and tables share that earthy design.

    ¡°Hihi. Anything you¡¯d like to order. The menu¡¯s right here and you can rest over there. We don¡¯t have all that many customers around this time,¡± the lone employee says with haste as if they¡¯re trying to do anything to hold onto the one customer they have around.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll take a seat and scan through the menu,¡± Shen replies slightly taken aback by the barista.

    While he¡¯s walking away, the barista is the one looking at him as if he¡¯s the weirdo. She seems like the chatty kind of person that could spend an entire day talking at people. Though she attempts to keep herself busy, some days are just that boring and uninspiring that she can¡¯t help but shoot a few quick glances at Shen every other second. The fact that he¡¯s reading a book is off-putting to her until she suddenly starts blushing.

    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s her problem?¡±

    It finally clicks.

    ¡°How old do you think I am?!¡±, he asks, shocked and babyfaced as ever.

    ¡°14? Maybe 15?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m turning 20!¡±, he reprimands her. ¡°And I¡¯d like a coffee! Black! Thank you!¡±

    ¡°I do have to card anyone who asks for smokes and drinks where I work thay may look under 25 but it still stings when it doesn¡¯t happen with others. And she was expecting me to play games on my phone, wasn¡¯t she!¡±, he thinks.

    She sheepishly hands him his cup of coffee strangely a little too embarassed. It¡¯s nothing worth talking about yet she¡¯s still embarassed.

    ¡°So you¡¯re under 18 huh?¡±

    Shen has assembled all pieces of this puzzle. A relatively new employee at this coffee shop that likely hasn¡¯t ever had a job before. She believed him to be younger than her and thought it was odd why a kid would come in acting the way Shen does with a bag carrying his laptop only to read a book.

    After a pleasant time at that caf¨¦, he heads further into town to buy a new mug. His old one for some reason is starting to crack leaking for whatever reason. He¡¯d get scrutiny if he were to just throw away that mug and use another cup. He¡¯d get scrutiny if he were to use one of their mugs. He¡¯d get scrutiny for buying a new one. He¡¯d¡­¡­¡­

    A few years ago he got his favourite little mug after starting his dreadful job. It was some sort of celebration to showcase that he had just gotten his first paycheck. Surprisingly, his parents haven¡¯t touched that bank account of his though they have fought over it several times. His celebratory gift also brought him quite the trouble as they had plenty of things to say about how unkind the world is instead of celebrating with him.

    ¡°They¡¯re such petty assholes. I didn¡¯t ask for a lesson. I asked for a hug or a ¡®good job¡¯.¡±

    As he begins browsing, he can¡¯t help but think of Nikolay.

    ¡°Should I get him a cup? I barely know him so I have no idea what I should do with him¡­ But he was overjoyed with that keychain.¡±

    Shen catches himself almost giggling away while surrounded by others.

    ¡°That stupid face of his was the best thing I¡¯ve seen in years¡­ Didn¡¯t know anyone could be THAT expressive.¡±

    He decides to go for two mug cups with matching designs. One of the cups seems all kinds of wild. The orange sun and the chaotic triangles leading away from them are placed about disorderly. Some triangles face the sun while others face away. ¡®Shine with Chaos¡¯ says the sun with a soft little derpy face. The other mug is that of the calm and collected moon lightly smiling. Several perfectly placed rays lead away from it.

    ¡°Burns of chaos and rays of order, huh? Guess who¡¯s who¡­¡±

    Many more motivational cups and plates catch his eye. He knows they¡¯re just trying to make him spend money by enticing him with cute designs. He¡¯s starting to wonder just what his apartment looks like. Would he keep it the same so no one would suspect that he¡¯s just an imposter wearing the face of a deceased stranger? Or would he change and adjust his living space according to his own wants and needs.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s like a crazed scientist keeping all kinds of research notes scattered around? Or he¡¯s like a supergenius working with dozens of USB-sticks and air conditioners to prevent overheating? Could it be even bigger than that? A whole operation that he¡¯s recruiting people for?¡±

    He ponders for a second.

    ¡°Nah. How could he know so little about himself then? He sounds sincere enough even if he may be lying about some things¡­ Sounds too sweat to lie with that stupid face of his,¡± he tells himself. Shen smirks as he heads out of the store.

    ¡°Should I pick up some food? I haven¡¯t even had lunch yet and it¡¯s almost 5 pm.¡±

    He hesitates.

    ¡°I¡¯m in trouble, right? They¡¯re probably going to find all kinds of ways to punish me, right?¡±

    He hesitates a little more before heading off to whatever happens to be the closest fast food place.

    ¡°I¡¯m already in trouble anyway soooo¡­¡±

    Fried noodles and something fizzy¡­ It¡¯s not something Shen would usually pick. The only issue would be getting this past his parents and their oppressive air. Since he doesn¡¯t want to bother the neighbors, he¡¯ll just hurry along inside just hoping to slip past them. Maybe they somehow haven¡¯t come home yet?

    ¡°Pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, for your life¡­¡±

    Shen turns the key and slowly opens the door. Unfortunately for him, they¡¯re both him with his father already getting hammered. He¡¯s surprisingly silent just watching TV. Shen doesn¡¯t even get a reaction as his eyes remain closed. His mother is silently scrolling away on her phone blank and a little downtrodden. It¡¯s not even 6pm on a weekday and this is what he has to go home to.

    ¡°Yep. Just another day,¡± he tells himself.

    While he¡¯s sitting at his desk slobbering away at his noodles, he looks at the two mugs he had bought. Burns of chaos and rays of order¡­ A slight chuckle escapes his lips as he continues eating his noodles.

    ¡°I wonder what Kolay¡¯s up to¡­¡±

 First Flight First Fight

    ¡°So! Today¡¯s the day! Answers even I don¡¯t know!¡±

    Shen and Nikolay are meeting not too far off from the devil¡¯s place. Since there¡¯s always time for exploring the cosmos of secrets, they intend to walk home at a brisk pace with a few spots here and there. October has just started as has the autumn season.

    ¡°Just two more semesters, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not feeling it anymore. I know it¡¯s just another year, but I never chose physics,¡± Shen bemoans.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°It was either that or medicine and I''d rather die than deal with that.¡±

    It seems as though Shen isn¡¯t allowed a lot of autonomy in his life. From his career to his passions, he lacks autonomy. His workplace is as stifling and suffocating as his home life. All he can do is dream about the endless possibilities others face as he is faced with just one.

    ¡°Why not ditch them?¡±

    Nikolay introduces a concept entirely foreign to Shen. He can¡¯t even imagine leaving his parents behind and just doing as he pleases.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just abandon them. They have their flaws but doesn¡¯t everyone have those?¡±

    ¡°If I told you to abandon your passions and do whatever I order you to, would you?¡±, Nikolay asks.

    ¡°No, but you¡¯re not family,¡± Shen counters.

    ¡°Why would your family want you to do that?¡±

    Shen can¡¯t think of an answer. He has no kind of rebuttal other than excuses that fall apart after 0.2 seconds of contemplation. Stunned, he stops talking continuing to just walk along with Nikolay. He¡¯s still adjusting to getting his world upended.

    ¡°You okay? You¡¯ve been really quiet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    After grabbing a bite, they head straight to Nikolay¡¯s place. Now that they¡¯ve met over half a dozen times, there¡¯s more familiarity between the two of them. Shen likes to read and occasionally writes about his thoughts while Nikolay is smitten by photography documenting all kinds of places and is strangely aware of hyperspecific trivia no one would ask for. These two creative minds coming together to figure out the mysteries of this world, are about to be a step closer to truthhood.

    ¡°So this is your apartment? Cleaner than I thought, huh?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    He¡¯s right. Nikolay¡¯s apartment bears a decent amount of space. Though it could be a lot cleaner, it¡¯s well-kept and not all too cluttered. There are a bunch of boxes titled "video games", "normal DVD", "JESUS", "clothes", and "electronics". They seem to belong to the former owner of this apartment.

    Other than that there are books and magazines all about pseudoscience as if actual scientific research doesn¡¯t cut it. They seem to be posted up next to actual scientific books. Astrology is paired up with astronomy. Ley lines are coupled with geography and geology. Books about philosophy and psychology with occultism¡­

    ¡°You have a lot of books and magazines. I think you¡¯d do so much better than me in uni,¡± Shen claims. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯d have way more fun too.¡±

    ¡°Too many rules!¡±, Nikolay rebuttals.

    Burns of chaos indeed¡­ Nikolay sits down on the lone couch in his apartment. A little pat on the spot next to him signals Shen to come sit with him. Shen sits down and reaches for the few folders Nikolay had prepared.

    ¡°¡®Cliff Notes and More I¡¯, huh? Where¡¯s two and three?¡±, Shen asks.

    His eyes land on astrology and astral projection.

    ¡°Astrology and Astral Projection¡­ Got any notes on that?¡±

    ¡°Not much¡­ I just started looking into some basic stuff. A bit about triangulation and very surface-level stuff about astrology and astral projection. It¡¯s a little hard to keep track of considering I¡¯m so new to it,¡± Nikolay sighs.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go through your notes. You wouldn¡¯t mind if I copied them and took them home, right?¡±

    ¡°Sure? Right now?¡±

    ¡°No! Of course not!¡±

    Shen begins to go through Nikolay¡¯s notes. So far he has collected about 150 pages of notes on his lived experiences. Most peculiar are these things he calls monsters coming in all kinds of shapes and forms. Other than that there are persons of interest he seems to have run into. Most monsters even seem to have names and types associated with them. Nikolay has come across five types so far unsure if there are many more of them around.

    So far he has come across 81 of these monsters. Most of them are rather unformidable but would still kill anyone other than magical people like Nikolay. Nikolay has come across 1 Ancient, 1 ConCorD, 17 Lords, and 59 Scroungers. Only 3 of them are typeless.

    ¡°Say, I¡¯m counting 81 but I only got 78. Why are three of them typeless?¡±, Shen asks.

    ¡°One of them was immediately beaten by one of those weirdos I¡¯ve met. One hit K.O. so probably a Scrounger. Another one immediately disappeared as soon as I laid my eyes on it. It felt dangerous so I¡¯m trying to track it down with what little I know. The last one I had to run away from. It attacked me before I could react so I somehow fled. I¡¯m thinking of ways to kill it.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? It sounds like you almost died,¡± Shen nags with concern.

    ¡°I survived and I wouldn¡¯t have met you without that thing.¡±

    ¡°How come?¡±

    ¡°I discovered that I can leech off of people¡¯s negative energy when I crashlanded in a park full of hobos and junkies. I pretty much magically recovered after that and met you in that same park a few months later,¡± Nikolay claims trying to avert his gaze and not blush.

    ¡°Turns out I don¡¯t need to eat either as long as I do that. Same thing with sleep. The more I suction off of that energy, the less I have to worry about my body. Never zero though. There are still days when I have to eat. I will probably starve to death after half a year, die of sleep deprivation after three weeks, and of dehydration after like three months. It¡¯s all just theories though.¡±

    Shen blushes and continues reading. So far, Shen has deduced for Nikolay to have encountered 81 monsters with varying degrees of intelligence. Their appearance seems to indicate just how hostile and coherent these beings are. Shen slightly disagrees with some of the descriptors.

    Scroungers supposedly are these incredibly hostile leeches that will feed off just about anyone yet they they¡¯re far more likely to appear out in the countryside. Even if they were to share the ability to grow stronger through negative energy with Nikolay, it would be far more profitable to just plant themselves in city centers. Shen believes Scroungers to be more akin to aggressive bottom feeders. They¡¯re likely scared of the other superpowered people Nikolay has encountered so far.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.Despite how straightforward the descriptor ¡®Ancient¡¯ is, a textbook definition doesn¡¯t quite tell Shen what it means. The one Nikolay encountered likely was around in the Age of Enlightenment but their appearances likely aren¡¯t set in stone. If they were to barely escape an encounter with beings more powerful than them, couldn¡¯t they possibly adjust to that?

    With a sample size of one that remains undefeated, there¡¯s nothing for Shen to go off of. The only ConCorD he has faced thus far is Prima Facie, a blank mannequin made of glass. It only reflected some of Nikolay¡¯s memories onto itself. It was oddly self-aware and agreed to a stalemate and an eventual rematch when the time is right. Even the notes on it are that of fondness.

    The final group Nikolay has encountered is "Lord". They all possess strange spaces that are meant to keep intruders as far away as possible. Lords always have lesser monsters or objects keeping them safe. By throwing an endless amount of minions at people, they can hope to survive by tiring out assailants. Their "Generals" are stronger forces that can fight back.

    ¡°You took a lot of time to put all this together,¡± Shen says.

    ¡°You¡¯re thorough but disorderly.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on. I¡¯m trying to make sense of it!¡±

    ¡°It would make a lot more sense if you reviewed it all but I guess that¡¯s why we met,¡± Shen says with a flirtatious tone.

    His stomach begins to rumble. Hours have passed since their last meal and it¡¯s almost time for dinner.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ll put something together as long as you don¡¯t mind spices,¡± Nikolay says offering a decent dinner.

    Maybe his somewhat disorderly fashion can bring about a decent meal.

    While Nikolay waits, Shen compiles thorough articles on every monster his friend has encountered so far trying to stay true to what Nikolay had experienced. Making sense of these notes doesn¡¯t matter. For now, all he needs is a simple directory.

    ¡°All done. Have at it,¡± Nikolay says.

    He serves them fried rice with lots of vegetables with a few fillet strips sprinkled in. Seems like he also eats healthier than Shen expected. Nikolay is someone whose limits lie beyond the human body. He has no need to care about his eating habits yet it seems like he¡¯s healthier than Shen.

    ¡°This is surprisingly good! I didn¡¯t know you knew how to look after yourself!¡±

    ¡°You always have to take a jab at me, don¡¯t you,¡± he sighs.

    Shen¡¯s phone starts buzzing. It¡¯s his mother calling and checking in on him. It¡¯s almost 7 pm and he¡¯s still not home.

    ¡°Oh, I guess I was keeping you too long¡­¡± he says slightly dejected. ¡°Well, if you have to leave then go. I don¡¯t want to hold you up.¡±

    ¡°Nah. I¡¯m having fun.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ Wanna spend the night?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°Sure. Since you¡¯re begging for my attention.¡±

    Nikolay gets up and walks towards the door. With a grandstanding hand gesture he points Shen towards the door. He¡¯s gonna take the two of them on a trip and help the two of them come a little closer to the truth.

    Their path leads them to a hospital. They¡¯ll somehow have to get past staff and any security. There¡¯s also a police station nearby with cop cars ready to pounce in just about two minutes. If they were to just barge in past visitation hours on a not so busy day, they¡¯d probably get arrested.

    ¡°I thought we were going to take a walk!¡± Shen whispers somewhat outraged.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ve got a plan. We¡¯ll be in and out in no time,¡± Nikolay claims.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked!¡±

    As soon as a disgruntled nurse heads out for a break. Walking towards a nearby park, she intends to just relax and have some time to herself. However, as soon as she gets herself seated, she¡¯s tied up and gagged by Nikolay. He had also hidden a bag in the bushes just so he can dress up as her.

    ¡°Look away,¡± he commands as he gets into nursing gear.

    ¡°You had this whole thing planned out? Why not just fly in?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°It¡¯s too bright and there probably are cameras everywhere.¡±

    Nikolay shifts into the unfortunate nurse leaving her not only terrified but also confused. He runs off with Shen warning her of what would happen if she were to report anything. They head into the hospital as inconspicous as possible. An elevator takes them to their destination: the oncology unit.

    ¡°Stay by my side no matter what. Don¡¯t act out and no phones,¡± Nikolay instructs Shen. ¡°It may get a little messy in there.¡±

    Behind a door at the end of a corridor lies a small contained world. It¡¯s a massive nursery with painted walls that are supposed to showcase a happy little outside world with blue skies, jolly clouds, and a beaming sun. Though it is a small world, it¡¯s still a massive space. With about 0.2km2 of space (200 thousand m2), it¡¯s still the size of a large stadium.

    ¡°You¡¯re not allergic to bees, right?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°No. Why?¡±

    Thousands of bees a meter in length are swarming towards them creating a cloud of death. Their stingers are the size of an adult male¡¯s hand meaning just getting pierced by them means death. Nikolay is entirely unimpressed as he bites off the tip of his left index finger.

    ¡°What are you-¡±

    He points at them and starts firing blood pellets as if his finger is a machine gun unloading on targets. The bees fall and scatter praying that at least one of them can make it to the two of them. However, among them is a slender womanly figurine. This amazoness is as curvy as she is feminine yet despite her bold and confident pose her expression is that of grief. Behind her, at the other end of this space, are 64 cribs full of babies that had lost color like her. The only thing protecting them are her and the four hooded men in white robes protecting them.

    ¡°What¡¯s with her? Is she the boss?¡±

    ¡°SID¡­ Can¡¯t you feel her sadness?¡± Nikolay responds.

    ¡°Nope. And IT is running towards us. At least we¡¯re getting new data out of that,¡± Shen replies sharing no sympathies with what he knows to be a monster.

    ¡°Sudden Infant Death is an interesting name though¡­¡±

    It¡¯s probably just a little faster than Nikolay flying at top speed. SID also possesses razor-sharp talons for nails likely capable of piercing Nikolay¡¯s skin. If not for his regenerative factor, he would likely die a thousand times over.

    Coming in fast, he barely avoids a strike to the head getting a little scratched up. But he manages to follow up with a blade of hardened blood immediately decapitating it.

    ¡°Seems like we¡¯re done here,¡± Shen thinks.

    However, its head isn¡¯t falling off. It kicks Nikolay like a horse as it closes in on Shen.

    ¡°Woah! It won¡¯t reach me, right?¡± Shen thinks a little startled.

    However, Nikolay immediately recovers and blasts a hole in her head with a finger fun. Having to bite his fingers off whenever he wants to use that move is frustrating. SID continues running and aims for Shen yet that blood bullet turns into a little wall just meant to push it away. Nikolay then flies towards Shen just to check up on him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but you have to leave. I can¡¯t believe I was stupid enough to bring you here!¡± he yells. Pacing around getting all fidgety as he thinks of ways to navigate this situation, Shen stands by wondering how he can be so worked up when he can lose limbs without issue.

    ¡°Do you know how to beat it?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it was a mistake to take me with you, but I can help you,¡± Shen claims determined. ¡°There are like a few kilometers between us. The babies in those cribs disappear after you ¡®kill¡¯ it. It seems like one of them has reappeared since then¡­ After a minute? Those weird hooded ¡®sages¡¯ or whatever also oddly move whenever she dies.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?? We have to-¡±

    ¡°We have to beat that thing. We can¡¯t have dying people waltz in here with the little time they have left, right? It may also be exacerbating their symptoms. Let¡¯s finish it now.¡±

    Nikolay nods. He walls off Shen and summons two bloody blades going straight for the infants. SID begins to cry out in fear with an ear-shattering scream trying to stop Nikolay. He swiftly cuts off her legs and the damage remains meaning she¡¯ll have to regenerate them. Nikolay attempts to slaughter those infants as he begins feeling weak. Cancerous lumps grow all over his body likely due to the sages protecting these kids. Yet, despite his issues, he makes quick work of the sages and then rids this monster of its lifeline. Before its legs can fully regenerate, Nikolay cuts SID into two perfect halves. The space pops like a bubble as Nikolay returns to Shen. His lumps slowly recede as he heals.

    ¡°See! It all worked out in the end.¡±

    Shen falls into Nikolay¡¯s arms exhausted from all the adrenaline and fear.

    ¡°Whoa! Are you okay??¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Let¡¯s just untie that poor nurse and head home.¡±

    They fly home after releasing the nurse satisfied with their little endeavour. Exhausted, Shen rests on Nikolay¡¯s couch after retelling his little adventure to his phone. Meanwhile, Nikolay is already at it dissecting what they had just experienced. After just a few minutes he dozed off into deep sleep.

    ¡°Well, arent¡¯t you cute,¡± Nikolay tells Shen while caressing his face.

 Happy Birthday

    On October 24th, 2013, Nikolay turns 21 years old, and for this sacred day, Shen has prepared all kinds of exciting events for the two of them. For once, Shen wants to take charge and lead the two of them on a fun little journey. Everything planned for this day remains a secret to Nikolay.

    ¡°You know, you can tell me what you¡¯re planning,¡± he says, only to be met with silence. ¡°Something about ¡®showing me something worthwhile¡¯ and ¡®not a lot of explanations¡¯.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not all that far off from Lake Platzhalter. Should be a nice ten-minute ride and like a half-hour walk. I even packed some lunch boxes,¡± Shen proposes.

    ¡°Or we could take a tram to a nearby park and have a little picnic there.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever gone swimming in this life. It¡¯s bound to be a little chilly, though, but I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t mind since you¡¯re not a fan of the summer heat.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Heat won¡¯t ever be my thing, and I always sweat like a pig,¡± Shen replies. ¡°I¡¯m sure you caught me all kinds of stressed out just trying to conceal my sweaty pits.¡±

    ¡°Haha. Kinda like running to the station to catch a bus and trying to conceal your heavy breath.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Yeah! Like that. I¡¯m a little out of shape, so I¡¯m always worried about looking stupid.¡±

    Though Shen believes it to be strange that Nikolay would know of exhaustion when it¡¯s practically impossible for him to starve, he puts it on the back burner for now so they can enjoy his birthday. It¡¯s such a nice and peaceful day. Not enjoying it to the fullest would be a crime.

    ¡°You know, you don¡¯t have to do all this. I¡¯d share my findings with you either way,¡± Nikolay says. He¡¯s still a little keen on pushing Shen away.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, and I¡¯ll say it again. I like hanging out with you because I wanna hang out with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± he replies, blushing while facing the pavement.

    ¡°Look! Our tram!¡± he adds to divert from his feelings.

    Platzhalter, though beautiful, takes a bit of a trek to get to from the station. If you are as directionally challenged as these two lovebirds, you¡¯d probably take some time to get anywhere despite the endless amount of signage. From what little Shen remembers, from the few times his family ever went to the lake, there¡¯s an incredibly scenic route across a bridge taking them all around the lake.

    Their journey begins across atop a bridge. Along with a few others, they¡¯re ejected by a horde of others trying to push through. There are four spots Shen would like to visit as they get to their destination. The first spot would be the little touristy shop that would somehow always be closed or too busy to buy anything from. He can only remember always being told to just keep going whenever he wanted some ice cream.

    ¡°Are you sure? You know¡­ we could have gotten a decent freezer bag not too far off from here and bought like twenty decent bars of ice cream.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on. Let¡¯s get into the¡­ lake-going mood? Or something like that!¡±

    Shen is allowing himself to be guided by a false sense of nostalgia and just the need to try out even the most mundane things. But even that weird engagement may be to Nikolay¡¯s liking. It¡¯s hard not to love any aspect of the person you love most.

    ¡°Fine then! But you best believe I¡¯m not spending a dime!¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way,¡± Shen claims.

    Almost fifteen minutes are down the drain just for some of the most expensive versions of cheap store-bought ice cream. The orange ice cream Shen had bought for himself immediately sticks to his upper lip as it was kept in a freezer so much colder than the Russian tundra.

    ¡°Want a bite?¡± he almost stammers to Nikolay. He¡¯s barely capable of keeping his composure but manages to maintain an air of coolness.

    Though Nikolay attempts to have a bite of Shen¡¯s orange ice cream, Shen pulls away just to mess with him. He¡¯s met with scorn, yet immediately after that, he learns that a troll cannot be trolled as Nikolay runs off with both snacking away till they¡¯re halfway finished. As punishment, Shen hits Nikolay 21 times, which is the number of years the birthday boy has been alive.

    ¡°Fine. Fine. I¡¯m sorry! We can share the rest of mine since you¡¯re so much younger than me.¡±

    ¡°Haha. You¡¯re so funny.¡±

    Sarcasm.

    They¡¯re already well within view of the majority of the lake. It took them an hour from the start of their journey to get to their second side quest.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of stupid that it took over ten minutes just to be served some shitty ice cream bar,¡± Nikolay claims. ¡°There was this weirdo being annoying about the prices, so that was great. Do you also have to deal with these kinds of people at your job? At your shitty kiosk?¡±

    ¡°Yep! Constantly understaffed while being swamped with shitty customers demanding you to somehow travel back in time and predict that they MAY have wanted a sandwich they¡¯re asking for. Like, what the fuck do you want me to do? I¡¯m about to clock out in two minutes, and you¡¯re here antagonizing me over a cheese sandwich you could have made at home.¡±

    There seem to be plenty of stories about borderline manic people expecting the world from minimum-wage employees just doing their jobs. Shen has accumulated so many in a span of two years that he has lost track of them.

    ¡°I know this is kind of embarrassing, but sometimes, right before my shift starts, I tend to just chill on the toilet and chill my nerves. I¡¯ve also cried and gone straight to bed after some shifts too, so I guess there¡¯s that,¡± Shen adds.

    ¡°You know, when I started off, I had to deal with getting yelled at quite often. The person I was replacing was tired of my supervisor. My supervisor can be a total bitch too. Had to endure all kinds of speeches about how she¡¯d love to keep me but had to put in more effort. Had to deal with that for four months.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s also her sister being so cunty it¡¯s ridiculous. She¡¯s always looking for a fight. Customer or employee¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter. You will feel like shit after pretty much every shift with her, and you will not leave on time as long as she¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°But at least-¡±

    ¡°I need you to stop talking because you¡¯re stressing me out.¡±

    Nikolay can¡¯t listen to Shen facing so much more than what should ever have been necessary.

    ¡°Why do you even put up with that? It¡¯s not like you get paid well, either,¡± Nikolay argues.

    ¡°Well, I need a job and my parents want me to have one. Looking for a new job is also incredibly dreadful. Rejections even if you¡¯re qualified for those jobs kind of sucks.¡±

    ¡°Then just take a break. It sounds like you need one.¡±

    Shen rummages through his mind before deciding to drop it. It is Nikolay¡¯s birthday. Now¡¯s not the time to bring up uncomfortable topics. Now¡¯s the time for a joyful little walk to their destinations. Spot number two is just a little playground he used to play on as a child. He¡¯d always manage to fall on his face and start whining to his parents, and he¡¯s about to recreate it, yet the weather seems to disapprove of it.

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡°Maybe we should hurry. I feel like it¡¯s about to rain.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I guess we should eat before that, huh?¡±

    He pulls out two lunchboxes, and upon popping them open, he¡¯s met with a grim sight. They¡¯re both scrambled and are starting to spoil. Though he¡¯s made them right before meeting with Nikolay, they¡¯re already a health hazard. Shen fights the urge to cry as his eyes well up.

    ¡°Well¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting that. That¡¯s not what I expected at all,¡± he says, trying to hold it all in.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Nikolay says as he embraces Shen.

    Shen begins sniffling and crying, unloading pent-up frustrations that had occurred over the past few weeks. He was trying so desperately to just put on a brave front and endure it for just a day. Yet, in his eyes, all he¡¯s doing is bringing about the worst birthday trip ever. They decide to head home for the day before it could rain, arriving just in time to avoid a flurry of raindrops.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s your birthday, yet I¡¯m just sniveling little-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We all have days where we feel off. Yours just happened to be on my birthday,¡± Nikolay says, cutting Shen off before realizing how that may come across.

    ¡°I mean as¡­ like¡­ you know¡­¡± he rattles. ¡°Everyone just has those days that absolutely suck. You wouldn¡¯t be mad at me for having one of those days. So why should I be mad at you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m also not a fan of those stupid, more traditional dates. Let¡¯s just have fun our own way. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going on our first date,¡± Nikolay adds.

    ¡°We¡¯re dating???¡±

    ¡°Not yet! So pick another time for your first date, and then we¡¯ll pick off there.¡±

    Shen relaxes and takes a nap as Nikolay rejoices at his perfect response. Borrowing lines from his smoker benefactor, he has managed to quell this situation and put a rest to what could have been a disastrous fire.

    ¡°Woah! I said date! I said date! What does that mean?? He never said we¡¯re dating! He just wanted to know more because I can fly!!¡±

    He¡¯s panicking on the inside as he orders a metric ton of junk food. Chicken nuggets, cheese bites, fries, chicken wings, and more¡­

    Shen wakes up to the smell of fried goods assaulting his senses.

    ¡°Well, what do we have here?¡± he yawns while checking his phone. ¡°And you even went ahead and started without me.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s my birthday. Birthday kid gets the first slice,¡± he mumbles while he¡¯s stuffing himself with fries.

    ¡°Come on! The fries are about to get cold, and they¡¯re always so damn nasty and soggy when you waste too much time.¡±

    After a hearty meal, they both go on another adventure. Once again, they¡¯re facing another monster not too far off from another grand palace of suffering. This time, they¡¯re visiting a pretty run-down secondary school in dire need of repairs. According to rumors, every 20 years, there¡¯s a suicide in this school making the headlines. They always seem to garner the same old responses of condolences and regrets while nothing is truly done to prevent these deaths. The following Monday is supposed to be the next death.

    ¡°I never realized how prevalent these things are. Do you think they could be responsible for disasters, diseases, and more?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah. Absolutely,¡± Nikolay mumbles. ¡°I have several odd events that align with that, but for my hypothesis, I¡¯d have to get overseas, and I¡¯m not taking those risks. I¡¯ve always had my doubts about using my powers out in the open.¡±

    Now that they¡¯re on the rooftop, they can spot just one lone green cube behaving strangely. It is unlike any of the monsters they¡¯ve faced so far and is spinning on its own axis, unresponsive to any stimuli till they step closer. It immediately rapid fires at Nikolay. Small, identical little versions are fired like pellets, yet they¡¯re incapable of harming Nikolay. Slightly annoyed yet perplexed, he draws closer until it manifests a bigger version and fires it into Nikolay to explode into smaller cubes.

    ¡°You¡¯re really annoying and not worth reporting on. I came this far for nothing!¡± he grumbles as he steps closer.

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you stepped away,¡± commands the voice of a woman echoing behind them. She sounds playful and awfully casual for being faced with possibly powerful strangers.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a demon. It¡¯s just an experiment gone wrong.¡±

    Nikolay backs away as Shen steps aside. Wary, they simply observe her walking to the cube. She skillfully steps between them and the cube, concealing the main event. Before they could turn to watch her deal with this supposed experiment, it had already vanished through mysterious means.

    ¡°You¡¯re not territorial at all. I guess there are a few people with heart in Christa¡¯s territory. I¡¯m Evergreen.¡±

    They can¡¯t make sense of her with Nikolay, and Nikolay is even afraid of talking to her. Something about her confidence screams danger. Her black beret is littered with oval green gems. Her biker jacket only has a small golden star on the back of her shoulder, while her plaid layered skirt is decorated with white and all sorts of hues of green. Her purple stilettos could mean that she¡¯s not combat-ready or just so powerful that even the most restrictive clothing allow battles to be a cakewalk.

    ¡°Who-¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not all that well-versed with territories and all that stuff,¡± Shen claims. He approaches her with tact and caution. He had to cut off Nikolay for a more diplomatic approach.

    ¡°This is Sunny, and I¡¯m Selen. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t quite catch your name. Would you mind repeating it?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ other Dream Catchers call me Evergreen, but you can call me Alina. We¡¯re all friends here, right?¡±

    Nikolay glares at Shen, waiting for instructions.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not divulge our actual names. We¡¯ve had run-ins with more aggressive fellows before. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard all kinds of rumors.¡±

    He¡¯s gracefully dancing around anything that might give away how much they know while trying to bait her into imparting more knowledge.

    She hesitates before answering.

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. Considering you¡¯re so close to Berlin, I can¡¯t help but feel sorry for you.¡±

    ¡°Well, we have to go, Selen. Two more demons are nearby.¡±

    Nikolay seems to have caught on as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ll assist you. Being a rookie in these trying times can¡¯t be easy.¡±

    Just a few hundred meters away from this school are two demons inhabiting the same space. It¡¯s so odd that Evergreen has to comment on this rarity. As soon as they enter the space, they¡¯re invited to quite the peaceful view. Mannequins are strung up on crosses lodged into this perfect little flower field. These endless greens, along with the cloudy skies and the warm breeze, are a blessing to all those trying to take shelter from harsh weather conditions.

    Nikolay and Shen observe the young woman entertaining the young girl with hand-clapping games one would do in elementary or with young siblings. Standard, the older-looking one, wears a white dress decorated with colorful dots. If it truly were a girl, it would be the prettiest one anyone had ever laid their eyes on. Two-Faced illicits zero hostility. Its frilly dress, the comically huge sunhat, the little pink jump rope tied around its waist, and its velcro sandals are incredibly cute.

    Alina takes her sweet time walking towards the two monsters. Her neon green mane sways according to her steps as she draws closer and closer to the two demons. Only then do Shen and Nikolay realize that the mannequins are wearing faces that had clearly been sheared off of victims. They rattle as the older-looking humanoid jumps at Alina. A simple slap is all it takes for Alina to send it flying through several mannequins.

    Meanwhile, the little humanoid steps past Alina, joyfully skipping towards Nikolay. Its face still remains entirely covered as it unties the jump rope attached to its waist. Shen remains on guard as it comes closer.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s weak. You should probably shoot it!¡±

    ¡°Shoot her? What¡¯s wrong with you?? It¡¯s just a little girl.¡±

    Shen is flabbergasted at Nikolay¡¯s response and watches the two of them prance around till Nikolay shrieks at Two-Faced¡¯s face with utter horror. Meanwhile, Alina is just watching the two of them as she is tearing Standard apart limb by limb till a gem spills out of it. Nikolay is hit by the jump rope that seems to hold enough weight to crack his skull, yet he makes quick work of Two-Faced as he crushes its skull with his hands. The space dissipates.

    ¡°You could have shown me your cards,¡± she sneers, aware that she has gone out of her way to conceal her ability.

    ¡°That¡¯s rich coming from you!¡± Nikolay grunts.

    She laughs as they part ways, never to be seen again, leaving them puzzled. The only thing she has left them are two green cubes. Though they¡¯ve gathered lots of information with this little session of oddities, they also have so many more questions, leaving them even more perplexed than ever before. Yet, despite all that, Nikolay is satisfied celebrating his best birthday so far.

 Conflict

    ¡°And now you¡¯re telling me you want to drop out?!¡±

    Shen¡¯s mother is screeching at him for even offering to drop out of uni. One throwaway line at dinner is enough to rile her up and attempt to start a screaming match. His father looks just as intense, though he has spoken very little. Whenever he does, he bangs his fist on the table, rambling about how he hadn¡¯t raised him to be a disappointment. He can tell his mother is starting to get inconsolable as tears well up within her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to work! You don¡¯t want to learn! You don¡¯t want to study! You don¡¯t want sports! You don¡¯t want anything!!¡±

    While she¡¯s going on and on about how he¡¯s a disappointment and never ever does anything of his own volition. He can¡¯t help but think that the only thing they sanction is their fantasy of life. Anything other than perfect is forbidden. If he were to drop out, what would happen to their bragging rights? Though he doesn¡¯t interact with any of the neighborhood kids he used to be friends with anymore, they still insist on displaying their little trophy. Though they barely, if ever, interact with people in the neighborhood, they still need to be sure that whenever there may be a chance, they need those achievements to display.

    ¡°You¡¯re fucking idiots!¡±

    It¡¯s the first time he has talked back in ages. The last time, he had to take a beating. Whether or not they¡¯d dare to actually lay a hand on him now that he¡¯s taller than the both of them is another question. But at least this time, he can defend himself.

    ¡°This is what I get. This is my punishment!¡±

    Now tears are streaming down her face. Whenever she gets to this stage, she¡¯ll talk about how all her mistakes in life have caught up to her. Her sins have come to haunt her, and now she¡¯s repaying that debt. While she¡¯s dealing with this hysteria, his father usually keeps quiet as he¡¯s being lambasted for being a low-earning drunkard who always avoids his family and is likely a cheater. She has lots and lots to say about how it¡¯s his fault that Shen turned out that way. His father is just full of bad seed, and the reason why they only have one kid despite the many attempts at creating more.

    ¡°You do deserve it. It is your punishment! I don¡¯t care. Just leave me alone!¡±

    He counters. He¡¯s actually talking back.

    He leaves and goes on a walk. He knows his father will be borderline unresponsive and incredibly aggressive after his walk due to whatever drugs he¡¯s taking, but he doesn¡¯t care. If necessary, he¡¯ll spend the night outside quarreling with whatever troublemaker comes his way.

    ¡°Love how quiet and innocent he looks whenever she¡¯s yelling at him, but he¡¯s always so ready to beat me and her when enough bullshit is in his system.¡±

    Shen considers calling Nikolay but believes it best not to bother his friend, yet as soon as he steps into the park wherein they first met, they happen to come across each other.

    ¡°Another tough night, huh?¡±

    Shen retells his story expecting the same old response from Nikolay about how he should cut ties. Yet this time, he¡¯s only on standby, quiet and undisturbed by this story. Something is off about him, and it worries Shen even though he has enough to worry about.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t get it. Why do you keep up with that shit,¡± Nikolay says a little more frustrated than usual.

    ¡°Well¡­ They¡¯re-¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re your parents. So why? At least you get paid to put up with bullshit at your job but why your parents? You pay a share of the bills. You buy groceries. You¡¯d probably buy gas if you had a car, yet you can¡¯t just move out?¡±

    Shen remains quiet.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to be a dick about it, but you put yourself through so much, and it¡¯s frustrating to look at, you know. We¡¯re talking about this again and again and again for what? So you can go back to that and deal with more of that shit??¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Dejected.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. I overreacted.¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Before they could talk about it, Nikolay flies off without even bidding his goodbyes. He has a point. Why subject yourself to pointless cruelty when you could be surrounded by loved ones who would never treat your character as an affront to their way of life. Shen¡¯s workplace is also godawful to the point that he has enough job experience to find something new that would likely pay him more. It¡¯s not like he needs the job either. At this point, he has amassed enough savings to confidently move out, finish uni, and not work for a year.

    ¡°Well¡­ maybe she¡¯s right. Even Nikolay is mad at me, and he doesn¡¯t seem like the type of guy to hold grudges. I can¡¯t do right by anyone, can I?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡­¡­

    ¡­¡­¡­

    Though they¡¯re always so eager to text each other and think of plans, there¡¯s been radio silence between the two of them. It has been weeks since their last interaction believing each other to have abandoned their friendships because they¡¯re unbearable. Meanwhile, Smoker, is as melancholic as ever listening to Nikolay.

    ¡°I can understand. I¡¯ve been on both sides of that same stupid coin toss of love,¡± he claims. ¡°You can¡¯t just tell him to ditch his parents, but you shouldn¡¯t have to deal with them either.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re not my parents! I shouldn¡¯t have said those things! I don¡¯t have the right to talk shit when I¡¯m like this!!¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been in many relationships, nor have I had that many friends, but my very first relationship ended because of these things.¡±

    ¡°Unlike your friend, I was a bumbling fool who always had to defend my parents no matter what happened, and that took a toll on her. It¡¯s not that she lacked empathy and only thought of herself. She just couldn¡¯t bear watching her partner beat himself up over mundane things as he was being abused. I didn¡¯t get why she¡¯d leave me, and for a while, I did resent her.¡±

    ¡°And after that?¡±

    ¡°After what? It was over. No one can support someone until they¡¯re willing to support themself. It¡¯s just a pointless, exhausting battle with no end in sight.¡±

    Nikolay nods, feeling awful about there possibly being no solution.

    ¡°I did resent her until I experienced it myself,¡± Smoker claims. He¡¯s clearly trying to offer some kind of hope to Nikolay.

    ¡°I had a girlfriend that was mistreated like I was. Misery often loves company. People with awful histories tend to flock to each other. Birds of a feather and all that stuff, you know? Watching her put up with a shitty job and her shitty parents was awful. I understood that I felt the same way my first girlfriend did. Sometimes, I still wonder what would have happened had she articulated that in a way past me could have made sense of.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯d still be together?¡± Nikolay asks as the glint of hope in his eyes burns brighter than ever.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t want to know because that would mean a future without my kid and my wife,¡± Smoker claims.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t have that future quite yet. Neither does he. So, put those feelings into words. It can be gibberish for all I care. It just has to be something Shen understands.¡±

    ¡°I will!¡±

    Determined he¡¯s ready to go and meet Shen right now but is dissuaded from doing so as it is the middle of the night. He often works on weekends, so finding him after work should be no issue. Though it is strange that he can¡¯t just text or call him. The next day, a Saturday, he¡¯s up and running towards the kiosk that has been mistreating him. Though he did get there almost fifteen minutes after Shen¡¯s shift ended, he manages to catch Shen just clocking out and heading home.

    ¡°Oh, hey!¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    They¡¯re awkwardly standing in front of the kiosk, twiddling their thumbs until they realize that they¡¯re blocking. Both struggle to get a word out, gasping for air, preparing for the feelings they¡¯re trying to convey. Yet each attempt deflates the moment they attempt to move their lips.

    ¡°Got anything planned? Like right now?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what you wanted, idiot! We wanted to talk,¡± he thinks.

    ¡°Nothing¡­ How about you walk me home?¡± Shen answers.

    ¡°¡­ even though I¡¯m being a pain in the ass¡­¡± he thinks.

    They go about this conversation with awkwardness taken to the extreme. Shen is nervously shuffling his bag around, trying to avoid his gaze. Nikolay can¡¯t help but play around with his fingers just focusing on them instead of what he was trying to do. Simple everyday questions with zero substance and basic replies are thrown at each other over and over again before they finally reach Shen¡¯s apartment.

    ¡°Guess that¡¯s it for today! Well¡­ Until next time?¡± Nikolay says with a little voicecrack midsentence.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°??¡±

    ¡°I have been causing all sorts of problems for you. You should be mad at me¡­¡±

    Shen, though afraid that he may stumble upon one of his parents, is trying to share whatever is weighing him down.

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡± Nikolay mumbles before deciding on what he should say next.

    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at you. I¡¯m mad FOR you. I just hate seeing you all that miserable. I went kind of overboard and assumed all kinds of things when I haven¡¯t even known you for that long. I¡¯m sorry for overreacting.¡±

    ¡°You have your own bills to pay for, yet you¡¯re always paying for me. You have your own life, yet you always have to adjust to my schedule. You have your own ambitions, yet all I¡¯m doing is holding you back. You should be mad at me!¡±

    ¡°How? You were so quick to defend me. YOU told me that I can¡¯t be that bad. I could have been a killer. I kept secrets, and I still do! Yet you gave me the benefit of the doubt. Why can¡¯t you be as nice to yourself as you are to me? You¡¯re acting like I¡¯m some burden when you did nothing wrong!¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­ I guess you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s just hang out. Let¡¯s just have fun.¡±

 Hand in Hand towards a brigther Future

    ¡°I know picturing what your future is supposed to look like isn¡¯t easy, but what comes to mind when you think of the future?¡±

    Shen is grasping at straws when it comes to anything concerning his future. It never truly was his, and he spent so much of his time just focusing on what others were expecting of him. Right now, only one person comes to mind.

    ¡°You? I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve barely spent any time thinking about that¡­¡±

    Nikolay turns beetred as he attempts to continue this conversation.

    ¡°You know what you¡¯re doing. How come?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°Observe, study, and learn. Not just about those demons and Dream Catchers, but also about ancient myths and legends and how some landscapes came to be!¡±

    Nikolay was born with the spirit of a researcher, and he will never stray from the pursuit of knowledge.

    ¡°I guess¡­ Going on an adventure could be fun,¡± Shen adds.

    ¡°We can discover so much more while on an adventure, right?¡±

    ¡°But where to? These nice miraculous places you hear about in legends don¡¯t really exist¡­¡±

    ¡°Why not? Demons can live in these interesting, complex spaces seemingly made of magic. So, who says these spaces can¡¯t just exist out there without demons? There could be a vast world out there waiting to be explored.¡±

    As if a lightbulb had just gone off, Nikolay gasps. Something so obviously possible was never considered.

    Both are bathed in a flurry of blood as they teleport to a world within Nikolay¡¯s control. Right now, they¡¯re in a world of desolation surrounded by howling winds ravaging this world. The two of them are trapped in a tower with a glass dome of mosaic beauty. A small podium with a lone book of wonders sits atop a lectern.

    ¡°What the fuck have you been hiding?? AND you never considered the possibility of these worlds not having a master???¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Any person should be able to do that, right? With enough whatever the secret component is¡­¡±

    ¡°Just show me whatever you want to show me.¡±

    As soon as Nikolay comes in contact with the book, the entire tower lights up with star signs and more constellations. The tome itself opens, revealing the table of contents. None of the chapters or contents are decipherable to Shen, nor are they numbered. However, like a touchscreen, just interacting with a title sends you to the page you need. Light swallows the two of them, removing them from the isolated tower.

    ¡°If you ever want to kill a person with epilepsy, just take them with you,¡± Shen jeers.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Never mind.¡±

    Once again, they¡¯re located in a tower. However, this time, they¡¯re deep underground, with only a few torches mounted to the walls of this ancient tower lighting the way. A spiral staircase leads to a hatch up into the wondrous world of Nikolay¡¯s inner machinations.

    ¡°Why do we have to walk so much?¡± Shen asks, yet Nikolay simply shrugs his shoulders.

    Finally, now that they¡¯re outside, they have a clear view of the sea and its tide gently crashing into the top of the tower. It¡¯s as infinite as it is out in the real world. The only strange thing about it is the lack of life on these shores and the pillar of light somewhere quite far from here. The night sky is mesmerizing, and the waters are perfectly clear. The numerous stars dotted onto the night sky barely reflect off the water¡¯s surface, yet even mirrored in their faded brilliance, they¡¯re the most beautiful thing Shen has laid his eyes on.

    ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it? Should have seen some of the spaces some demons inhabit. Almost as beautiful as you,¡± Nikolay says with a smirk half-sarcastically.

    ¡°But the true spectacle is behind us.¡±

    Nikolay grabs Shen by his shoulders and turns him around. One lone steamboat is pointing towards the endless horizon, just waiting for its esteemed visitors. While waiting for the end of this ride, they converse about the future.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re quitting uni and your job?¡±

    ¡°Yeah? I told you several times, right?¡±

    ¡°I make money by hunting demons. A guy hooks me up with all kinds of intel and I get paid for that while he keeps 30% as a finder¡¯s fee. How would you hunt demons with no powers of your own?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you live with me as a ¡®freeloader,¡¯ but eventually, we¡¯re going to run into a dry period where there isn¡¯t a lot to research, a lot to hunt, or a lot to do in general. I mean, you also want to quit your job, right?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t really thought about that, but I guess you¡¯re right, huh¡­¡±

    ¡°You can take your time. I just don¡¯t want you to be bored.¡±

    After a while, they finally spot a large dome inviting them in. Just like his arrangement of files, Nikolay¡¯s dome of relics, artifacts, and other kinds of objects of historical nature. Most of them are largely insignificant and don¡¯t seem like things that should belong in any kind of exhibition, but few are peculiar and would likely have historians and archeologists foaming at their mouths.

    ¡°Not shabby but still disorderly.¡±

    ¡°Nuh-uh! There¡¯s more!¡±

    The displays submerge into the ground. The doors behind them close as Nikolay draws a deep breath. With his eyes closed, he visualizes a fossilized scorpion crawling along ancient land long lost to time. The columns and architecture showcase a glorious European empire that must have been around about 2000 years ago, yet its fossils are nowhere to be found.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°This will be my magnum opus!¡±

    ¡°Some random kingdom?¡±

    ¡°A kingdom whose traces have been erased along with an entire continent!¡± Nikolay shouts at the top of his lungs.

    ¡°Toba! The Genesis Flood! Abbotsford-Vancouver Nuclear Disaster!¡±

    ¡°That last one happened just a few years ago, and it was a massive tragedy, but that doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s some kind of conspiracy behind it,¡± Shen exhales, almost exhausted from having to listen to any kind of conspiracy.

    ¡°It¡¯s just like Chernobyl. Things go wrong and just happen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been to Chernobyl, and that was entirely different from what I heard about Vancouver Island.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you propose we get there? It¡¯s entirely locked off from the outside world.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever wondered how demons get from A to B? They¡¯re always in their little spaces, so how could they be in different locations?¡±

    Nikolay has several plans in mind but believes them all to be too risky, yet he still entertains them.

    ¡°I thought they were stationary?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve had a handful of demons escape after they realized they stood no chance. Prima Facie agreed to a stalemate, yet I haven¡¯t found her since. How come?¡±

    ¡°Their space moved?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly possible,¡± Nikolay says. ¡°However, we have no way to prove that. If we were to return to the real world, we¡¯d be on my couch. I¡¯ve never been able to move it before. But I may be the exception. I¡¯ve cashed in a few favors, so I¡¯m not too sure if he¡¯ll allow me to cash in much more.¡±

    ¡°A few?¡±

    ¡°Like those cubes¡­ In them is tech that would allow you to connect to a network full of people just like Evergreen. She even finetuned it to adjust to the two of us.¡±

    ¡°And who¡¯s that guy owing you favors?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°Can you even trust him?¡±

    ¡°He did a lot to keep me secret. I had just woken up and assumed the identity of this Mustermann guy. He got me a few odd jobs here and there and made sure I was up to date on anything I need to know.¡±

    ¡°Up to date?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°I likely must have been asleep for a while¡­ Maybe even more than twenty years¡­¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re telling me all this now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Nikolay snaps his fingers, and the entire space pops like a balloon filled with blood. The blood evaporates into a mist, blinding the both of them for just a few seconds. The mist quickly vanishes as they are back in the real world. Two paper-thin gelatinous rectangles are laid out on a tray for the two of them to admire.

    ¡°X-Vambrance¡­ Apparently, there are even more restrictive versions wherein you don¡¯t start with as many advantages, but they have so much information on them that would further our goals¡­ It¡¯s absolutely ridiculous how much WE missed out on!¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re sure putting them on is a good idea?¡±

    ¡°Nope. But my friend says it¡¯s safe and that we should consider ourselves lucky.¡±

    ¡°Oh! And put it on your dominant hand.¡±

    Nikolay puts the gelatinous mass around his left wrist as Shen puts it around his right. Surprisingly, Nikolay is left-handed, yet for some reason, after putting it on, he is trying to remove it and put it on his right arm.

    ¡°You¡¯re a leftie?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I often got in trouble so I can write with both,¡± Nikolay claims. ¡°But you can see how messy my notes are, sooo¡­¡±

    ¡°In trouble?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°Well¡­ They wouldn¡¯t really do anything, but they¡¯d just tell me to stop doing that.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­¡±

    ¡°Drop it,¡± he sighs.

    ¡°You know¡­ It¡¯s pretty obvious. You¡¯ve had years to figure it out and tons of clues to go off of. I¡¯m not going to force you to remember anything unpleasant,¡± Shen adds. Likewise, there are many things he wants to leave behind and never mention again.

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s just explore anything other than your past.¡±

    Their X-Vambrances light up, turning into futuristic wristbands that display all kinds of information. Shen glances at Nikolay, unable to see the Vambrance around his friend¡¯s wrist and vice versa. Out of curiosity, they bump them into each other as they link up and become visible to the two of them.

    ¡°So they have to link? Sounds fun! We can even use them out in public without any Dream Catchers ever finding out!¡± Nikolay says, excited about the endless possibilities.

    ¡°But how do we remove them?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t. They¡¯re stuck for life.¡±

    Shen is unimpressed by Nikolay¡¯s lack of foresight. He should have seen that coming.

    ¡°¡®That¡¯s just what they claim. But if you¡¯re brave enough, you can figure out how to crack the code,¡¯ should be something you¡¯re about to say, right?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! And you¡¯ll have to help me with that.¡±

    Shen takes half a minute to adjust to that idea. Evergreen, someone who seems entirely unbeatable, crafted magical cubes that could contain these bracelets. There are more restrictive versions they have yet to obtain and study. Nikolay¡¯s benefactor seems to know so much more that he, very likely, deliberately isn¡¯t telling Nikolay.

    ¡°You said you had cashed in a few favors, right? The guy who¡¯s doing you these favors is another Dream Catcher, right?¡±

    ¡°I think so¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if he isn¡¯t, we can cash in a few more favors, right?¡±

    Nikolay looks a little distressed, uncertain as to whether or not they should call upon his benefactor. He has a feeling that he can only ask for help so many times before Smoker decides that he¡¯s had enough of him.

    ¡°I dunno¡­¡±

    ¡°You should. He¡¯s not really benefitting from having you around. Keeping you a secret and allowing you to do as you please doesn¡¯t seem like something he¡¯d benefit from,¡± Shen claims.

    ¡°We have to ask. We¡¯re likely not getting any further as long as it¡¯s just the two of us in this apartment researching alone.¡±

    ¡°We can ask someone else¡­ He told me there¡¯s someone ¡®taking in strays¡¯ in Bavaria. Someone by the name of Railgun could help us.¡±

    Railgun supposedly lives in a city in Bavaria, the largest state of Germany. Out of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, she holds control over Swabia yet isn¡¯t held in high regard due to history unknown to Nikolay. She¡¯s often referred to as ¡°Cursed Child¡± by Smoker. Since Shen has just quit his job and feels obligated to uphold his 4-week notice, the earliest they can leave is the 15th, right before Shen¡¯s birthday. With Christmas coming up, there¡¯s little to no room to talk to Railgun in favorable times.

    ¡°We can probably send a message to Railgun via bracelet and see if she can make some time for us,¡± Shen proposes.

    ¡°Since there is some form of hierarchy among Dream Catchers, we can expect her, as some kind of overseer, to be quite busy.¡±

    ¡°So, nothing before next year?¡± asks Nikolay.

    Shen nods.

    Since there¡¯s likely nothing else to do for another six weeks, they plan out fun activities they could do till their meeting with Railgun. Other than asking Nikolay¡¯s benefactor for aid, they can only find more demons and study as many as they can.

    The very next day, in the early morning hours, Shen is awoken by a phone call and dragged out of bed on his one day off. Nikolay is waiting for him outside so they can handle a nearby demon roaming around while terrorizing children. It has grown incredibly powerful over just a few days and, therefore, must be dealt with quickly. If they manage to finish it off with the aid of a handful of rookie Dream Catchers, they¡¯re owed more answers. Though how would they approach a coordinated team effort with strangers they¡¯ve never met before?

 Decisive Battle I: Decision of Fate

    ¡°The six of you are responsible for this Fusion! Due to Sunny¡¯s efforts, we managed not only to predict where it is bound to appear and when its appearance is due, we also know how many Seeds encompass this Fusion. One Scrounger, two Lords, one Ravager, and one Ancient! You¡¯re tasked with defeating these five demons before they can become a proper Fusion. Anything that need be known is on your Y-Vambrances. You¡¯re dismissed!¡±

    A masked figure has just finished briefing them in a store selling mattresses. Everyone except for Nikolay knows him as Smoker, an intimidating Dream Catcher who solemnly leads the Dream Catchers of Brandenburg. Other than Nikolay, only longstanding veterans who have been around before his glory days are aware of his true appearance and the nature of his abilities. As the grand leader of so many Dream Catchers, he¡¯s likely much more powerful.

    Smoker has tasked Shen, Nikolay, and four Dream Catchers with defeating an incomplete Fusion, while Smoker deals with demons in the surrounding area to prevent any mishaps and tragedies due to a change in plans. Though the usual recommendation is to keep your abilities secret, Nikolay and Shen know anything there is to know about their crew. Thanks to Nikolay they can work out which Dream Catcher ought to deal with certain demons.

    Starting with the Scrounger, Nine, there isn¡¯t much to worry about as long as you know how to exploit its ability. Offering nine lives to anything in its protection, it oddly relies on other demons to survive. Despite the solitary nature of demons, this one can only survive in the company of others. There¡¯s one worrying uncertainty surrounding Nine: the lack of information on its limits of revival.

    The two Lords seem to be rather formidable. Sandman seemingly lulls its victims to sleep, draining them till they die of dehydration or starvation. Few have died of heart attacks. If any sleeping victims were to be kept alive, they¡¯d remain comatose until they are dragged out of their nightmares or this Lord is defeated. Only those who somehow escaped their nightmares have witnessed its proper form. If someone knowingly invaded its space of nightmares, they could likely beat it with sufficient willpower.

    The other Lord is a cowardly one that seems to hide among clouds as acid rains down on their victims. Exhausting pursuers with its massive space before taking them down with countless minions mimicking creatures of the sea, is its only strategy but also a rather powerful one. Floodgates of Purity (FoP) itself, however, is rather pathetic as it is somewhat likely that even a toddler could kill it by throwing a few punches.

    Most worrisome are Leviathan, the Ancient that had just awakened, therefore being far too mysterious with lots of unexplored options, making it hard to pin down the ideal way to defeat it, and the Ravager, Moment of Birth (MoB), a demon that creates perfect copies of any creature that has the audacity to point hostility at it. If not for these two, even Sandman would be manageable.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made a deal with Smoker,¡± Nikolay says. ¡°He¡¯ll let me keep any Devil Seed I wish for as long as you deal with Sandman.¡±

    Shen is outraged. How could a normal person deal with a supernatural being like a demon? How could Shen defeat it when so much is still up in the air regarding its limits and capabilities? No one is even aware of the full extent of the horrors the nightmares may contain. Forcing Shen to deal with it, by himself no less, is inhumane.

    ¡°How could you agree to that?? Are you insane?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I had much of a choice¡­¡± Nikolay seems rather worried.

    ¡°He told me that you shouldn¡¯t be involved to begin with. Beating you into a hospital gown so that you would fear ever being with me again, outright kill you, or force you into a pact with some being called Z¡­ That pact would make you a Dream Catcher, but it sounds sketchy, you know?¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­ Then what is he doing this for? It¡¯s not like I have to participate in that battle.¡±

    ¡°¡®If you can¡¯t handle so little, then you both ought to quit looking into demons,¡¯ he said. I don¡¯t want to agree with him, but he¡¯s right. I¡¯m putting you in danger, and I should never have talked to you. It¡¯s my fault, and I understand if you want to wash your hands off of this mess.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Shen sighs and grumbles as he ruminates on his decision. Smoker is right. To be involved with monsters that can unleash all kinds of untold horrors is too much of a risk. Some day they¡¯re going to underestimate a demon¡¯s capabilities which may result in their demise or Shen being crippled. Even Dream Catchers may threaten them, their safety, or anyone they associate with. They can¡¯t ever be certain that the people they surround themselves with are ever worth trusting.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯d like to see what that pact looks like before we head into battle,¡± he says, reluctantly.

    ¡°It¡¯s worth the risk¡­ Staying with you is worth that risk.¡±

    Shen shudders as a small gust of wind creeps up on them.

    ¡°You¡¯re willing to consider my offer?¡±

    Behind the curtains is a red-eyed creature waiting for its cue. With a tail as fluffy as it is long, you¡¯d think someone had created this being by interbreeding a fox and a cat. Its legs are rather short and seem impractical. Though it is some fox, its short snout speaks of a feline, the long ears of a canine¡­ Its puffy coat once again points to canine. Pure white with red eyes oozing curiosity into this apartment¡­ These eyes are to be feared as an omen of struggles that are yet to transpire.

    ¡°Could I have a seat?¡±

    Nikolay puts anything on his coffee table on the ground, ensuring this ¡®Z¡¯ has a place to rest. Their little negotiator hops onto the table, and with a poof, a young boy in brown shorts with suspenders and a button-up shirt in white appears. His little black bowtie and black loafers complete his look while complimenting his orange hair with brown ends.

    Shen brushes this transformation off. To have such an adorable form while you¡¯re running around forming pacts seems like a conscious choice to these creatures.

    ¡°So you¡¯re a Z?¡± he asks. ¡°I bear a few questions which ought to be answered before any ¡®pact¡¯ can be formed.¡±

    ¡°Ask away! I¡¯ll answer to the best of my abilities!¡±

    Even his demeanor is adorable.

    ¡°How do these pacts work? How do they turn you into a Dream Catcher?¡±

    ¡°Contracts, pacts, bindings¡­ They¡¯re all the same to us. We take an insignificant part of your soul and offer you the ability to help you accomplish your goals! Upon completion of our pact, you¡¯ll be granted a Soul Solid, which will transform you into a Dream Catcher.¡±

    ¡°But there are other ways to become a Dream Catcher, right? I doubt this is the only way to attain power.¡±

    ¡°Of course there are! But if your genealogy doesn¡¯t match any unlock criteria, you have a higher chance of winning the jackpot at the lottery. Even if you were to awaken powers on your own, you¡¯d have no choice in their limits and capabilities. Would you really want to take that risk?¡±

    Shen can see the appeal to these pacts but is well aware that these creatures keep several secrets.

    ¡°Then what are demons?¡±

    ¡°Manifestations of people''s darkest emotions!¡±

    Though upset, Nikolay keeps quiet. He wanted to figure out the secrets behind demons by himself.

    ¡°Why do you create Dream Catchers?¡±

    ¡°To save mankind from demons!¡±

    ¡°Then why does it seem like Dream Catchers handle several governmental duties? Aren¡¯t they integrated into the government?¡±

    Ever since he heard about Railgun, he¡¯s had suspicions about how far up the political chain Dream Catchers lie. Smoker¡¯s reach and influence and Evergreen¡¯s claims about Christa only solidified these suspicions.

    ¡°Humans get to make their own choices! What you decide to do as a collective is up to you, Dream Catchers.¡±

    Counting Shen and Nikolay among Dream Catchers seems like an odd choice. The fact that it is up to Dream Catchers to decide about the world''s political affairs also feels strange yet plausible.

    ¡°Up to Dream Catchers? Do they really possess that much might?¡±

    ¡°Jeanne d''Arc, Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Nikola Tesla, and many more shaped this world according to their image, not just as Dream Catchers but also as people! To deny that Dream Catchers aren¡¯t shaping this world would be outrageous. If not for Dream Catchers, you¡¯d just begin to step past the limits of prehistoric times.¡±

    ¡°Then¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll have to cut you short. I have to meet a few more potential Dream Catchers today. Would you like to keep in touch?¡±

 Nightmarish Ordeal: First Trials of Silence, Shame, and Scorn

    Now that the day of destiny has come, Nikolay, Shen, and four Dream Catchers are gathered here as a collective, trying to defeat several demons. Though they¡¯re still far off from becoming formidable veterans who can eclipse most threats, they have potential and bravery that make up for their lack of experience and might.

    Bell, though weak and rather young, is the fastest among them. Due to her small stature and incredible speed, she¡¯s fast and nimble. She¡¯s perfect for scouting ahead but too weak to fight. Her ability to fly and make anything she enchants float turns her into an incredible support.

    Schmidt, however, is physically the strongest and likely capable of defeating any of the demons they¡¯re about to encounter just with his fists. Crafting impressive weaponry and armor only adds to his existing superstrength. As such, he and Bell are to be paired together to compensate for his lack of speed and agility while acting as her protector. They spent the last few days before this battle figuring out how to work together.

    Mirage, though not that great at taking hits, can defend herself far better when alone. As such, she¡¯s supposed to scout ahead and confirm that the demons haven¡¯t evolved since their initial appearance. They''re supposed to battle together as soon as Calypso is ready for offensive maneuvers.

    Calypso¡¯s role is that of a protector. While Shen deals with Sandman, Calypso is supposed to lure and distract any nearby threats while setting up defensive barriers. The moment Shen finishes his task, he¡¯s supposed to aid in defeating the remaining demons.

    As the perfect all-rounder, Nikolay is responsible for observing and detecting threats. Though he¡¯s allowed to take out minions, his focus lies on being a true scout. He is only allowed to be on the offensive within the final phase.

    ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re bound to get yourself killed!¡±

    Schmidt can¡¯t help but worry about Shen. His way of worrying for others almost feels fatherly.

    ¡°Someone has to. I¡¯d rather avoid partaking in this battle, but I cannot stress just how important it is to Nikolay and I. We¡¯re also getting a hefty reward from this battle, and we can¡¯t allow ourselves to hesitate and falter here.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± Nikolay interjects. ¡°If we can¡¯t deal with this Fusion, then we may as well give up on my dream!¡±

    ¡°My dream?¡± Shen sheepishly asks.

    ¡°Our dream!¡±

    Calypso, though as reserved as ever, seems to enjoy this hopeful charade. Though his hands are still as shaky as ever, just one headpat by Schmidt and a pat on the back by Mirage are enough to calm his nerves.

    ¡°Just in case things were to go south, I have a friend available just half an hour after the start of our little siege. You only have to survive for that long, Shen.¡±

    Mirage makes her attempt at adding some hope to this battle.

    ¡°But that¡¯s like planking for half a minute. May seem short but feels like an eternity¡­¡± Nikolay adds.

    ¡°We still can¡¯t give up! We can do it!¡± shouts little Bell. Her adorable attempt at invoking belief in their victory lifts their spirits.

    They finally embark on their mission. It¡¯s time for their hour of grandeur and their day of fate. Should they succeed, Shen¡¯s path to becoming a man of freedom who can enjoy the beauty of his own ego and appreciate the egos of others. Calypso and Shen are positioned on the outskirts of a wondrous space. With a radius of 100km, it is by far the largest space Nikolay and Shen have ever had the pleasure of exploring.

    Though their location is far from the center of this space, they can still enjoy the massive white spire breaching the cloud layer while revealing clear blue skies. A massive moon and a sun just as brilliant as the one atop the Alps. With little amounts of snowfall yet temperatures well above 0¡ãC, they get to gaze at this beautiful space without outright freezing. The strange topography has created a valley that likely ends right before someone can peek beyond it. The rivers and remaining greenery are rather awe-striking. But this beauty is interrupted by a sudden downpour.

    ¡°You¡¯re okay, right?¡± Calypso asks.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. These ¡®gadgets¡¯ are rather handy. Shouldn¡¯t I be worried about you?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    He doesn¡¯t seem to be all that talkative.

    ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll drift off to sleep¡­ Keep me safe, okay?¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡±

    ¡°I thought I was bad with strangers¡­¡± Shen thinks before Calypso''s fingers glow green. Placing them on Shen¡¯s head, he attracts Sandman''s gaze.

    <hr>

    Scene 1: Take 1

    Deep within the deepest depths of his mind, Shen is walking along an empty corridor. His right knee aches as blood is soaking up a bandaid. He can feel some kind of terror pulsing through his body as if some kind of horrid evil is stepping closer and closer. His memory is hazy, as is his vision. His body trembles while tears run down his face. Shen¡¯s terrified.

    ¡°Where am I?¡± he asks himself. His voice cracks and quivers like that of a 13-year-old terrified boy who has just started puberty.

    ¡°No! I have to go! I have to do something!¡± His voice is beginning to sound older. Even the steps feel shorter as his legs grow longer.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Shen knows there¡¯s a horror he has to face. Past this corridor are two more right turns he¡¯ll have to take. But with his first right comes his first trial. Before he could even turn to face his path, a decisive blow knocks him off his feet. A tooth of his is dislodged and catapulted to the ground along with him. His vision is as blurred as the intensity of headaches from this sudden assault. Before he could even adjust to the scene, another blow almost knocks him out.

    Along with these blows follow distant words begging for an end to Shen¡¯s abuse. His mother is crying and screaming at his father while barely lifting a finger. She could call the police, but she¡¯d never do that because of her duty to her husband. Locking his loving father away for character flaws anyone can possess would be too cruel.

    ¡°Hey! He¡¯s had enough! He¡¯s not going to do it again!¡± she yells over and over.

    Shen, though initially helpless due to being too small to fight back and having his hands pinned over his head, begins to muster up the strength needed to fight back. The blood flowing from his gums shoots out into his father like a bullet. Several familiar shadowy figures surround him, remaining on stand-by as he fights for his life.

    ¡°So that¡¯s what these nightmares do. Trapping me in a world of perpetual nightmares consisting of my worst fears¡­ It¡¯s evil!¡±

    As he crawls away, one of the figures drags him back into the fray. Before he could defend himself again, he¡¯s knocked out cold.

    <hr>

    Scene 1: Take 5

    Deep within the deepest depth of his mind, Shen is walking along an empty corridor. His right knee aches as blood is soaking up a bandaid. He can feel some kind of terror pulsing through his body as if some kind of horrid evil is stepping closer and closer. His memory is hazy, as is his vision. His body trembles while tears run down his face. Shen¡¯s terrified.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± he asks. Howling wind and frigid air respond to his cry for answers.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t I been here before? Don¡¯t I have to do something?¡± His voice is full of uncertainty.

    ¡°Yes¡­ I have to do something!¡± his mind responds with passion.

    He begins to pick up in pace, knowingly approaching the horrors he has yet to face. Past this corridor are two more right turns he¡¯ll have to take. But with his first right comes his first trial. Just as he turns to face his path, a powerful blow knocks him off his feet. Though his arms had taken most of the brunt, there¡¯s still bleeding. His teeth grazed his forearm, leaving behind a trail of pain. His vision is blurred due to the intensity of the incoming blows.

    As he adjusts to the scene, he can hear just one lone voice screaming and crying for help. His mother is begging for his father to stop beating Shen. As always, she refuses to call for help, borderline encouraging his father to continue mistreating him.

    ¡°Stop!¡± she yells over and over again with less and less intensity. His mother has gotten tired of yelling. She¡¯s barely trying to keep her partner off Shen.

    Several figures surround him, silently judging him for being as misfortunate as he is. His kindergarten teacher, his English teacher from 3rd and 4th grade, his German teacher for 5th to 7th grade, his pediatrician, and a few friends whose faces he cannot discern¡­ None wish to help him, and they¡¯re all eager to push him back into battle.

    Blood shoots out from his arm and blows his father just a few meters away. This opportunity allows him to manifest a knife that would be lodged into the throat of the person he once considered his best friend. The figures fade, yet one hand manages to grab his leg. He trips and looks back in fear as he realizes that his mother has sabotaged his escape. Before he could shake her off, he¡¯s knocked out cold.

    <hr>

    Scene 1: Take 17

    Deep within the deepest depths of his mind, Shen is walking along an empty corridor. His right knee aches as blood is soaking up a bandaid. He can feel some kind of terror pulsing through his body as if some kind of horrid evil is stepping closer and closer. His memory is hazy as is his vision. His body trembles while tears run down his face. Shen¡¯s terrified.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been here before¡­¡± he stammers, defeated and distraught.

    ¡°Can I even do anything?¡± His voice is growing as weak as the flames of his willpower.

    He continues dragging himself down this dark, empty corridor of unpleasant realities. Shen knows there¡¯s some sort of horror he has to face, dreading its approach with every step of his. He can¡¯t tell why he keeps pushing to fight a seemingly endless battle. He begins to pick up in pace trying to just have it all over with. Past this corridor are two more right turns he¡¯ll have to take. With each right comes a trial. Just as he turns to face his first trial, he¡¯s knocked off his feet by a powerful blow. His teeth are dislodged, broken, and shattered as his vision blurs.

    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± his mother yells as shadowy figures surround them. His father relentlessly beats him to smithereens till the lights finally go out.

    <hr>

    Scene 1: Take 29

    Deep within the deepest depths of his mind¡­

    ¡°What am I doing here?¡±

    ¡°I have to leave!¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t do this!¡±

    Before he could act, he¡¯s knocked out cold.

    ¡­

    ¡­¡­

    ¡­¡­¡­

    Growing up, his nightmares consisted of having to fight for his life only to be told that he¡¯s wrong for doing so. People expected Shen to ¡®just deal with it¡¯ so they could go on with their rosy lives while entrapped in their perfect little bubbles of normalcy. He¡¯s tired of having to justify why he should be allowed to love, be safe, and be happy. Having joyful people all around you telling you about their normal lives as they forbid you from achieving your own¡­ all just because they¡¯re his parents¡­ they disgust him.

    Nikolay, the only person who loves Shen for being just Shen, is the reason why he can persist against these horrible nightmares crafted by a demon. That lone light emboldens him to confront this trial just one last time.

    Steadfast and uncaring, he simply steps past the first trial. His fear of being unheard, shamed, and mistreated for something entirely out of his control are things he can brush off as long as Nikolay is by his side.

    ¡­

    The second trial is rather easy. His last anchor to the past is tied to his first trial. If he had ever confessed his love for men, his classmates and friends likely would have torn him apart. But their opinions are void as he¡¯d never possibly end up in these nightmarish scenarios. They can judge him for love, but as an adult, freedom of choice is another aspect of life his friend has shown him. He can make the choice to simply ditch all those who disapprove of his personhood.

    Yet, despite his newfound confidence, Sandman¡¯s nightmares persist.

 Nightmarish Ordeal: Beyond the Veil of Broken Tales

    Shen still lies in wait of his awakening. He has to push a little more to manifest his path to victory. Submerged in a literal abyss of nightmares, Shen endlessly fights his way through hundreds of nightmares experienced in just a few fractions of a second. Each moment feels like an eternity, yet in the real world, barely any time has passed. He could have awakened by now. Not even Sandman would stop him, but he¡¯s hellbent on saving the unfortunate folk still trapped in their dreams.

    The first of these dreams is a nightmare a child as young as seven is experiencing. She¡¯s trapped in a closet, hiding from a monster alongside Shen. Deep within the deepest depths of her mind lies a fear of the unknown. Her life of instability and uncertainty led her to these horrible sights.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Shen whispers. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    She shakes her head. Her makeshift panic room bellows and rumbles. All cloth turns pitch black as they wrap around the two of them. A whirlwind of darkness separates them, launching these victims into a cold abyss. Its slimy grasp of them creates discomfort as they attempt not to drown. Shen, though afraid of the dark, isn¡¯t afraid to act. Knowing that these nightmares are just dreams means that just a few actions and thoughts are enough to manifest a way out.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see a thing. Maybe I should create a light? Or should I create some kind of pathfinder to the girl?¡±

    He begins to trace a star with his fingers. He dots out two eyes and sketches a smile as he pictures a soft and adorable sprite bouncing along his tune. It finally gains form and begins to guide him towards the helpless girl. Shen creates a little ball of air that would push him forward. Shortly thereafter, he crashes right into her, pulling her into the bubble.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asks as she coughs up some black gunk. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t frighten you. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m Selen! I¡¯m here to purge evil nightmares.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you. Axis.¡±

    ¡°Probably another Dream Catcher, huh?¡± he asks himself.

    ¡°Tell me what happened. Why are we in here?¡± he asks her.

    She had lost count of just how many iterations of this dream she had gone through. Initially, she was locked in her bedroom with some horrid entity knocking for hours till it broke into her room. She¡¯d be dragged into some kind of abyss before she¡¯d ever get a chance to look at the creature trying to drown her in darkness. After several attempts at hiding beneath desks, behind a chair, behind a closet, and in a closet, she managed to find some clothes to hang over her and delay the inevitable.

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna see it again! Please get me out of here!¡±

    Her cries and tears are shed in terror. Before long, Shen manifests a door her size, suggesting that she escape.

    ¡°And what about you?¡± she asks, wiping away her tears.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. No nightmare can beat me, okay?¡±

    Before she could look back, Shen pushes her. She¡¯ll likely forget ever being saved by a stranger and being concerned for him. The dream falls along with Shen creating a rainshower of poisonous black drops. His air bubble bursts, introducing him to acidic dream droplets. Yet, despite the hurt he¡¯s experiencing, his eyes are set on another one of the victims. The golden clouds are almost blown away by shrieks loud enough to reach space. Below are several featureless heads with just a mouth screaming at one lonely old man rapidly aging to almost decay.

    ¡°And I thought my dreams were weird¡­¡± he thinks, growing less and less afraid of getting hurt.

    He manifests noise-canceling earphones onto the old man and himself and fires off an arrow of youth. Its impact not only wipes the horrors tormenting the victim of this dreamscape they also grant youth to the poor old man subjected to the bellows of disharmony. Before Shen could take a look at the young man, he crashes into the earth straight through this nightmare into the next.

    After 100 nights worth of nightmares, Shen is met with his greatest challenge. The next victim isn¡¯t a helpless individual who has been subjected to torment. He¡¯s here because of foreign issues. Every night, Sandman invites him in without any lures or trickery. Hellfire is a willing participant even if he can¡¯t remember any of the dreams. He unknowingly fed Sandman into becoming as powerful as he is today.

    <hr>

    One lone boy is standing over a stovetop, paralyzed by some kind of fear. Shen has just entered through the front door. Though he hasn¡¯t had the chance to take in this nightmare, Shen can feel intense, almost crippling loneliness. His heart is beating like never before until the young boy runs towards him. He had significantly grown, but not enough to be considered an adult.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°A guest?? Hello! You don¡¯t have to take off your shoes. Or take them off if you want to! I don¡¯t really care!¡±

    Hellfire seems high-strung and full of energy. His excitement is soaring just by inviting one guest.

    The living room is decorated with many balloons, plushies, and fancy and colorful ornaments. His birthday cake is just as colorful as he is. fourteen candles, a ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯ sign, smarties, strawberries, and some chocolate icing¡­ You wouldn¡¯t know what to start with. Before Shen could get himself seated, Hellfire crumples up a few letters with all kinds of names on them. Only one of which he can recognize. ¡®Elena,¡¯ Railgun¡¯s actual name.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to have more guests?¡± Shen asks. ¡°Those letters are for others, right?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re busy¡­¡±

    He doesn¡¯t seem to want to elaborate on the other guests. Yet, despite the apparent taboo, Shen tries to prod a little further. The least he can do is find out about other Dream Catchers while he¡¯s trapped in these nightmares.

    ¡°Well, it seems you¡¯ve known them for long. I¡¯m sure they do want to show up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell me more, and I¡¯ll determine whether or not they¡¯d show up if they could! That way, you don¡¯t have to worry about them not wanting to show up,¡± says Shen. His heart grows even heavier as his breaths grow shorter.

    ¡°Well¡­ I know Elena doesn¡¯t have it easy. Her reputation is always somehow in the gutter, and no one wants to tell me why¡­ She only ever drops by to gift some snacks. But she only stays for a few minutes and then doesn¡¯t talk for weeks. Maybe interacting with me is a bother¡­¡±

    ¡°Why would that bother her?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°It does sound like they don¡¯t have that much they wanna do with him¡­ But then why even bother dropping by?¡± he thinks.

    ¡°Well¡­ ¡± Hellfire hesitates. ¡°I was supposed to be part of the Bavarian Council, but she took my spot despite her infamy. Maybe she doesn¡¯t want to risk sinking even lower because of me.¡±

    ¡°But she drops by all the time¡­ So that means she likes you enough to leave gifts. It¡¯s just the Council¡­ Eventually, that awkwardness will fade.¡±

    Hellfire spends a bit of time pondering as he slowly eats his slice of cake. Shen isn¡¯t entirely sure how he should take care of the Sandman¡¯s final anchor. He can¡¯t feel that same power he felt before, meaning he can¡¯t just manifest a pathway out for Hellfire. The only thing he can do is talk to Hellfire till his issues are resolved. But how can you defeat such crippling loneliness in just one dream?

    ¡°What about the others? Elena sounds like a cordial stranger, so the rest must be friends, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! There¡¯s Aqua, Karen, and Mysterio. But Mysterio and Karen disappeared, and Aqua has been busy with her own duties and finding them. She¡¯s only found clues about Mysterio, which all point to him being alive, but Karen has seemingly vanished¡­ She¡¯s probably dead.¡± His eyes well up.

    ¡°And her powers? I¡¯m sure she knows how to defend herself,¡± Shen says, trying to grasp at straws.

    ¡°Teleportation¡­¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s avoiding you, then her powers make it almost impossible to trace her. Have you thought about that?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°But why would she-¡±

    ¡°Why would she be dead? If there¡¯s no body, then there¡¯s no death. I can¡¯t confirm or deny it, but you have to hold out on losing all hope,¡± Shen claims.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for lying to you,¡± he thinks.

    Though the heaviness of his heart is beginning to fade, his guilty conscience is only adding to it. But for now, he¡¯ll have to defeat Sandman. If that ends up hurting just one Dream Catcher, then it may be worth doing.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m sure you must be lonely. I only have one friend, and I wouldn¡¯t know what I would do without him,¡± Shen says. ¡°But if I have you as my second friend, then I won¡¯t have to worry as much, right?¡±

    Hellfire fumbles with his plate while avoiding eye contact.

    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t mind¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t! Just tell me where I can find you, and we¡¯ll figure something out, okay?¡±

    They exchange contact information so they can keep in touch in the real world. Shen can¡¯t be certain Hellfire will remember their little meeting after waking up, but at least he¡¯ll soon have someone to confide in. Before Shen steps out to confront Sandman, he leaves behind a few parting words of promise.

    Now, in the deepest depths of these interwoven nightmares lies just one more being waiting to be found. Its tricks were meaningless. Its powers are exhausted. Its plans have fallen apart. Now, it can only wait for Shen''s judgment.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here for quite a long time, haven¡¯t you?¡± Shen asks.

    A dark figure is weeping while on its knees. Darkness is oozing off of it along with purple flames, creating a mighty mane. Yet beneath that darkness lies a little round body with an even rounder disproportionately large head, short arms and legs with stubs for hands and feet, and big round eyes that are soft yet empty. Instead of vanquishing it as he was supposed to, he embraces it as he lets his body burn and sear.

    <hr>

    As he wakes up, his eyes adjust to the brightness of the real world. However, instead of being surrounded by grass in a gray world whose beauty only shines through at its center where the spire breaches the clouds, he¡¯s met with pink delights and lovely petals of pink and white. The plain grass field has turned into a flower field of hibiscus and many more flowers.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Calypso asks. His forehead is bleeding, and one of his eyes is kept shut from the downpour of blood.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that?¡± Shen asks. He gets up to inspect his surroundings, only to be met with the embrace of pink tourmaline clusters shielding the two of them.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

 Might of Imagination and Mirage

    Till Shen awakens, they have to keep four demons busy or defeat them with lots of energy to spare. If they fall below a certain threshold of energy, they will succumb to Sandman¡¯s nightmares and turn into more victims Shen would have to save. They¡¯d also turn into liabilities that need to be protected, meaning victory would be even further out of reach. Until Shen awakens, if he ever does awaken, they¡¯ll have to hold out.

    However, there¡¯s one demon they have to kill before Sandman¡¯s defeat. Nine has been encountered before. Several have fallen due to its symbiotic relationship with Moment of Birth. Moment of Birth creates perfect copies of any victim lured into its grasp. Though they cannot recover, they¡¯ll likely be reborn until MoB is defeated. Powerful Dream Catchers that don¡¯t make use of gadgets are most likely to be killed by their copies. No one is experienced in defeating themselves, yet Mirage is confident she can deal with it. Meanwhile, Nikolay, Schmidt, and Bell will keep the remaining two demons busy.

    ¡°So it¡¯s practically one vs two times nine, huh?¡± she asks herself. Not only will she have to defeat herself nine times, but if nine has any cards up its sleeve, she likely won¡¯t have enough energy to defend herself. Either way, she¡¯ll have to get herself back to Calypso to be under his protection or hope they can keep the others busy long enough to escape this space.

    ¡°I¡¯m at a disadvantage, but so is this Fusion if we assume that it only has nine lives to share. It can¡¯t summon minions to wear us down, and its nine lives are shared by all demons. Its powers are limited and I can take myself on.¡±

    She¡¯s never had to fight herself, but she¡¯s aware of her own weaknesses. Her staff is used to bewitch enemies but also becomes a halberd when necessary. She¡¯s faced with a mage as powerful as herself. A pointy hat with a starry pattern covering one of her eyes, crescent moon earrings, a tool belt full of gadgets, a plain sleeve covering her right arm, a plain skirt, striped leggings, steel-plated boots with hidden blades waiting to spring out, and a denim jacket¡­ This modern witch is Mirage¡¯s replica.

    ¡°It''s already switched into battle mode. Riveting.¡±

    They both rush toward each other. The copy seems a lot less refined as it makes its first attempt at harming Mirage. Using a simple spell meant to stun the original, it ends up being stunned instead. With ease, Mirage decapitates the copy.

    ¡°First lesson I¡¯ve learned during some of my early days¡­ Whoever has a lesser shield of spiritual power may fall victim to their own attacks with added ferocity. I wish I could use this demon as a test dummy¡­¡±

    She awaits her next trial. Will her copy learn with each revival, or will it flail about trying to tear Mirage apart with little to no success?

    Its second iteration appears and attempts to slash away at a perfectly still Mirage¡¯s left arm. Perhaps engaging in close-quarters combat ought to bring about a greater victory. Suddenly, its head comes off as Mirage somehow appears slightly to the left of where the copy had attacked.

    ¡°Creating mirages to obfuscate my location is tiresome, but if I keep them mostly still and use them in short proximity to myself, I should be fine,¡± she thinks simply flaunting her current superiority. Mirage should be going after Nine and MoB, yet insists on selfishly testing herself.

    ¡°Other than Bell, everyone¡¯s more durable than I am. And Bell is under the protection of Schmidt. Maybe I can subjugate Nine and MoB before Shen wakes up?¡±

    The third iteration appears more calculated than ever before. It¡¯s keeping its distance, scanning for irregularities. Just two deaths are already putting it at a level where it¡¯s trying to use logic to defeat Mirage. Slowly pacing around each other in circles, they wait for someone to make their first move. Though she¡¯d love to test her limits in this battle, she cannot afford to waste her time. This Fusion will recover along with the extra lives spent on Mirage. Sandman will return after being slain with enough time. In a battle of attrition, Dream Catchers cannot fare well against demons. They may be superhuman, but they¡¯re still human.

    This time, Mirage is the one engaging in combat, expecting to be hit. She swings at her copy, watching it leap into the air as it prepares to strike Mirage. One lone thrust bounces off of Mirage¡¯s forehead. Not even a cut is to be seen on her forehead as she cuts down her copy.

    ¡°Spiritual power¡­ I shouldn¡¯t make use of it too often. Since it can sense where I am positioned and can differentiate between me and my mirages, I don¡¯t have to make use of them. I can preserve some of my energy¡­¡±

    Before she can spot the fourth iteration, Mirage slashes away at air. The blades of grass surrounding her weren¡¯t as fortunate. Her copy is now circling around her just waiting for an opening. It recklessly fires off wind blades invisible to most Dream Catchers. After blocking a handful of them, Mirage surmises that they¡¯re likely incredibly sharp but also as tall as the gap between her knees and her ankles.

    ¡°I also would take out my opponent¡¯s legs. Mincing entire parts of them to nothing sounds like an effective but costly strategy. You can¡¯t just hold the leftovers together either to sew them back on by regeneration. Though I likely could only exert that kind of regenerative might just once per battle.¡±

    She¡¯s seen some companions with fast enough regeneration that they can attach a severed arm just by holding onto it for a few seconds. There are rumors of those with enough regenerative prowess that an arm in the process of being severed would regenerate along the blade¡¯s path as if it hadn¡¯t ever been cut.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Her clone is starting to become more sluggish as it¡¯s relentless attacks are wearing it down. It¡¯s working with the same amount of stamina Mirage bears. Though you do exert energy blocking attacks, with enough knowledge and wisdom minimal effort is needed to spot the weakness of a spell, an attack, or whatever may follow. One thrust into the clone¡¯s direction puts a bullet-sized hole right between its eyes.

    ¡°That was just the fourth iteration. I¡¯ll face ten of them and I fear by iteration 8 I may actually die¡­ I should dispose of the next few iterations as quickly as possible.¡±

    Before it could even approach Mirage, she delivers a devastating fireball that instantly vaporizes it. Cutting these interactions down to the bare minimum ought to be the best way to handle such a foe. She wonders if she¡¯ll have energy for any more battles after dealing with this obstacle.

    This time however a whirlwind is shielding her target. She could wait until it¡¯s exhausted, but it has learned how to maintain attacks with minimal stamina wasted. Mirage would have to wait for a few minutes or continously spam fireballs to cook it but she has neither the time or stamina to put up with it for a few more battles.

    ¡°It¡¯s taking advantage of my lack of time and my limited stamina. Unlike that thing I cannot return from the dead and I likely don¡¯t have allies coming to my aid any time soon. I could crush it with the earth underneath its feet but then I¡¯d face four more iterations privy to that trick. My magic has limits as do my spells. Will it evolve past my limits before I can defeat it? Can it do that?¡±

    Mirage attempts to constrict her copy with its own whirlwind and beheads it with an air slash. She¡¯s running out of spells and has to get more innovative with them. Since the rain isn¡¯t made of water, she has no dominion over it either. With only four more useable spells up her sleeve, one of which she can¡¯t make use of in battle, she¡¯ll have to invent something new.

    The seventh iteration arrives with a mighty display of control over its halberd. With elegance yet haste, the two of them display a wonderful showcase of clashing blades and stirred air. Their clash comes to a halt the moment they both graze each other on their right cheeks.

    ¡°Its first hit! There¡¯s no doubt that I can¡¯t defeat it alone!¡±

    They both hold onto their opponent¡¯s halberd struggling in a battle of attrition that could only be determined by luck. If they were standing on a more slanted spot, whoever had the better footing would win. Wind blades are clashing between them as the remains of their wind attacks lightly graze each other creating more cuts and scratches along their bodies.

    ¡°The rain isn¡¯t particularly painful and a little numbing. It halts my regeneration as my body fights off the many little instances of acid trickling along. But my copy is unaffected because it¡¯s a part of the Fusion, the master of this domain. I can continue wearing myself out with slashes, kill it, and be defeated by its next iteration, or I can reveal another spell¡­¡±

    Mirage attempts to read its mind but is met with emptiness. No thoughts are swirling through this being. It¡¯s just a copy working off of instict. Since that spell turned out to be useless, she uses her next best option of unrevealed spells. With a fireball she separates the two of them and follows with a spell that locks an opponents movements as long as they are in ¡®view¡¯. A windslash swiftly decapitates it as Mirage begins to run low on stamina.

    There¡¯s only little more in her to manifest more spells.

    As the third to last iteration approaches with the same vigor its last iteration held, she lifts the dirt beneath its feet and trips it before following up with a fireball swiftly blocked by another fireball. Unfortunately, like her stunning spell, the spell that locks you in place can be blocked. Though the caster won¡¯t have to deal with being struck by their own spell, it is wasted stamina that can be dispelled with little to no stamina.

    Once again, they¡¯re stuck between a flurry of blades. Mirage takes the defensive as her copy attacks. Blocking blocks is all she can do as deflecting them will only render her in another standoff between windslashes. She¡¯s also exhausted enough from fighting that she¡¯s beginning to physically struggle. As such, she releases her last spell and begins to float. Mirage holds onto its halberd and whips the copy into the air. Without its weapon and an angle that makes it difficult to fire off spells that could hit its target, Mirage slices it in half.

    The next iteration is on its final extra life. As long as Mirage is capable to invent a spell which doesn¡¯t waste too much stamina, she¡¯ll triumph over her enemy. Inventing a new move on the fly isn¡¯t impressive. Many have and many will create some kind of out when faced with death. For Dream Catchers facing death over and over again is the norm. Only veterans with their fear of death lulled and exausted will struggle with invention.

    Unfortunately, though weak, Mirage is one of these veterans. Other than float, none of the spells she¡¯s using right now are spells of her own. When she first became a Dream Catcher just a few years ago, she had a mentor to learn from. Losing her meant losing her source of new spells.

    ¡°But where did those spells come from? Someone had to have invented them!¡±

    Her mentor was a veteran just as old as she is now. She often echoed the sentiment of your spells being stifled by your imagination and believed reality to be subjective. With these thoughts in mind and the belief to stun her opponent, she casts lightning just as it flies towards her. Stunned, it is taken apart by a windslash exhausting its extra lives.

    Mirage too is exhausted as she falls unable to keep up her ability to float. Just now, her copy evolved past her limitations meaning whatever is in her arsenal is now even deadlier. With her entirety in view, the copy locks Mirage¡¯s movements as she¡¯s grown too exhausted to block attacks.

    ¡°This is it? I¡¯m sure my master would be disappointed in me¡­¡± she tells herself as she closes her eyes. Mirage is prepared for this battle to end accepting the outcome that would occur despite their hard work.

    Suddenly, Shen appears behind Mirage wielding some sort of gun preparing to fire. With its focus broken, Mirage is free to move as she pleases. Kicking up some dirt with her spell, she blocks its vision and swiftly decapitates it. Shen¡¯s image disappears revealing that she deceived her copy.

    ¡°You can read my mind but only if I¡¯m not guarding it. Had you copied my mannerisms as well, you would have won,¡± she tells the demons up ahead cowering in fear.

    Several hands of varying ages attempt to strike her only to be struck down by her mighty blade. Nine¡¯s unsightly form is that of a floating eye. It¡¯s always facing whoever is approaching it with the same shape or look as the eyes of the observer. Moment of Birth is just a massive crib made entirely of flesh and bones that towers over others. With just one windslash, both are defeated declaring Mirage victorious.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take these Devil Seeds out of this domain. I can¡¯t contribute any longer anyway.¡±

 Sleeping Beauty

    While Mirage is dealing with Nine and MoB, Schmidt and Bell are dealing with a massive fiend who is capable of devouring entire villages. Leviathan is a powerful fellow but also incredibly tricky to deal. Schmidt¡¯s armor allows him to tank most hits thrown at him. But the stronger his armor, the more rigid it is. That rigidity makes him more sluggish. Even if Bell is here to aid him in his mobility issues, she can only compensate for so much before putting herself at risk.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± she says for the 50th time.

    Leviathan emerges from just a few drops of rain barreling past them. Schmidt is starting to grow tired of this endless battle of attrition wherein they aren¡¯t allowed to deliver fatal blows. They have to wait for Mirage¡¯s victory against Nine and MoB. Then, they¡¯ll have to await Shen¡¯s awakening. This irritating kilometer-long snake is testing Schmidt¡¯s patience. His carefully crafted talons that could tear through almost anything are itching to disembowel this beast.

    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the rest to you. I¡¯ve expended most of my magic, but I can keep Nine and MoB away from battle,¡± Mirage relays by telepathy.

    Since Nine and MoB are gone, Schmidt has one out of two conditons to pummel Leviathan fulfilled. He could proceed and kill it now, but taking that risk means growing weak enough to be charmed by Sandman.

    ¡°Bell! Mirage has beaten Nine and MoB! Report back to Nikolay!¡±

    Bell takes off, heading to Nikolay up above. Meanwhile, Schmidt opts for his trusty hammer and shield. Leviathan emerges from below, threatening to swallow him. Teeth line the entirety of its endlessly long throat. This kilometer-long water-born lizard threatens to shred Schmidt, yet he skillfully strikes at one of the teeth with his shield, pushing it away. It falls to the rainy grasslands below, once again vanishing within the drops of water.

    Schmidt, upon landing, realizes that his shield has slightly bent out of shape but he¡¯s certain that a slight crack had formed in its tooth. Irritated, he considers wasting his magic on another shield.

    Meanwhile, Nikolay is flying around above the clouds of acidic rain dipping beneath them every thirty seconds, checking on the battles partaking below. His eyes are mostly set on the demon controlling the clouds and their rainfall. To a civilian, every drop of rain would tear away at their flesh, melting them into a bloody puddle. To a Dream Catcher they¡¯re raindrops halting or slowing their healing capabilities along with breaking their concentration. What concerns Nikolay is that it isn¡¯t letting up. Such a massive cloud covers a massive area with relentless rainfall that seemingly will not stop. It¡¯s not an area hazard caused by the domain itself yet FoP seemingly has no concerns for its bottomless basin of magic.

    ¡°Niko!¡± yells Bell just as he comes to a halt. ¡°Mirage defeated MoB and Nine! She took them away!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Their presences are gone¡­ Take care of Schmidt for now. Just dodge. Don¡¯t fight. Go.¡±

    His eyes are fixated on Shen¡¯s location. Nikolay can feel some sort of darkness brewing around Shen and Calpyso. It seems to be due to the influence of Sandman and Calypso¡¯s ability to lure demons. Neither feels like enough of a threat to fixate on them, yet he can¡¯t help but feel like something¡¯s off.

    Suddenly, something speeds past him into the clouds below as the clouds begin to fall. Their crash flood the domain, sweeping anyone crushed beneath them away. Calypso pinched Shen¡¯s nose shut while praying that no water got in through his mouth. A punch directed at the deluge breaks the water¡¯s tension, preventing Shen from getting crushed. Schmidt blasted himself past the layer of water with a mighty blow from his hammer. If not for Schmidt, Bell would have been swept away and likely would have drowned.

    As Nikolay turns to face Floodgates of Purity, he¡¯s splashed by water. Though he¡¯s coalescing massive amounts of blood to have functional wings, they fall apart as he begins to fall. Without warning, Leviathan emerges, nearly swallowing Nikolay. However, Schmidt strikes it hard enough to force its unsightly snout shut. Nikolay jumps off of Leviathan, dodging beams of water with new wings.

    ¡°Was it Mirage?! Were they waiting for her to leave?¡± Nikolay wonders. ¡°Lower our guards, tire us out, trap us with Sandman¡­¡±

    No amount of dodging can stop the inevitable. Beams of water keep firing away at him from above and below. Before long, he¡¯s sent to the flooded lands below, holding his breath. The beam he¡¯s caught up in pushes him further and further down, drowning the poor scout. Only Schmidt¡¯s raw power can break him out of the sea prison as Bell invokes flight on him. Calypso, Shen¡¯s body, Nikolay, Schmidt, and Bell are now gathered at one spot.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°We should leave!¡± commands Nikolay, even if that means leaving Shen to rot in an eternal nightmare. The least he can do is make sure he survives.

    ¡°No! I can¡¯t let it kill so many people!¡± Bell yells.

    If they were to abandon their mission here, this Fusion would not only recover but also become whole. On its flight path lies a small village that would likely have dozens of casualties along with flooded homes if they don¡¯t defeat it here.

    ¡°If it scares you that much, leave with Selen! Three Dream Catchers can hold out long enough till Mirage finds at least a few rookies willing to support us,¡± Schmidt claims.

    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m not a proper fighter, huh?!¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Schmidt counters. ¡°Do what you believe to be best for the two of you. I¡¯m extending that offer to Bell and Calypso, too. I don¡¯t know what you have in mind for the future, but considering Smoker is giving you the option to take any Devil Seed with you as long as we succeed, it likely involves a future full of demons. If you can¡¯t handle these few you should give up. I¡¯m not upset with you. I just want you to know that.¡±

    Nikolay was awfully antagonistic, but Schmidt managed to ease the tension beneath them. Calypso and Bell seem to be prepared for the worst yet are willing to continue fighting. Shen is still fighting Sandman bravely suppressing his fear to help lead Nikolay towards his eternal dreams of research.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay¡­ I¡¯m sorry for lashing out. I¡¯ll take care of the delude!¡± Nikolay says, determined.

    They scatter as Leviathan emerges once again, even more aggressive than before. Instead of disappearing beneath the drops of water or the newborn sea, it¡¯s chasing down Schmidt. Meanwhile Calypso is just trying to keep away from the water as he struggles to adapt to this entirely new temporary ability of flight.

    ¡°It feels weird, but I can manage,¡± thinks Nikolay. Flight without limit or physical anchors feel weird, yet aren¡¯t all that different from Nikolay¡¯s current version.

    He finally spots the figure that had just sped past him. A copy of his made entirely of water is approaching him at his top speed. It seems as if Moment of Birth¡¯s ability is already somewhat engraved into this Fusion. Nikolay bites off the fingers on his right hand and begins rapid firing into the copy. Somehow, he can keep track of FoP¡¯s attempts at drowning him. Using his own wings, he increases his flying speed, dodging any shots fired at him by his waterborne copy. Several shots had made it into the copy¡¯s body, but they had no effect.

    Since FoP¡¯s current strategy isn¡¯t working, it¡¯s creating even more copies chasing after Nikolay attempting to shoot him down. The amount of hazards he has to be aware of almost double with each copy. Its endless pools of magic aren¡¯t letting up.

    Meanwhile, Schmidt is carrying Bell as she¡¯s growing more and more exhausted. Though she promises to uphold her ability even if she were to fall asleep now, he can¡¯t let this kid push herself even more. He¡¯s concerned for her well-being and not just for the outcome of this battle.

    Leviathan holds still for a moment as flames form and coalesce in its throat, forming a fireball. As soon as the fireball has reached sufficient size and a beautiful blinding white glow, It fires a beam of flames Bell can barely keep away from. Only for an instant has her speed increased tenfold to avoid this deathly attack. The sea begins to evaporate as the heat echoes through the entire domain. Though it isn¡¯t anywhere near enough to set fire to objects or people, the heat is significantly noticeable, forcing temperatures near Schmidt to rise by 30¡ãC.

    ¡°Are you okay, Bell?¡±

    ¡°Exhausted¡­¡± She¡¯s barely keeping her eyes open.

    Nikolay can only watch in horror as he is struck by several pellets of water. His wings once again explode into a mixture of water and blood as he begins to slow down. If not for the faint traces of blood he had left behind on FoP, he wouldn¡¯t be able to deduce where the beams of water would originate from with its hand movements.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get anywhere near it! Damn pest!¡±

    He¡¯s struck again as he attempts to fly towards FoP. Occasionally, he overloads his copies with blood pellets that they burst and fall apart, but the amount of blood needed is ridiculous. Whether or not that is worth abusing is another question.

    ¡°I told them that I¡¯d deal with FoP! I can¡¯t force Shen into taking down one demon and then not defeat any myself! I¡¯m such an idiot!¡±

    As his final gamble, he scratches himself till he bleeds all over his body before biting them off along with his toes. He begins to spew blood from every wound, risking the loss of his life. Nikolay isn¡¯t aware of his limits because he¡¯s never had to test them. If they do end up being far beneath FoP¡¯s bottomless well of magic, his death is guaranteed. However, if they¡¯re even or his resources are greater than FoP¡¯s, he can win through sheer volume.

    A ball of blood begins to engulf him as several beams of water attempt to wash him away. Even Leviathan is beginning to turn its attention to Nikolay as it charges its next blast of intense flames. Just before it can fire, Schmidt forcefully shuts its mouth with one powerful strike. The fireball explodes within it as it retreats into the sea to recover from the damage taken.

    Nikolay continues to grow his reach as he finally begins to corrupt the sea. This bloody nightmare of a countermeasure is diluting the power FoP holds as the water levels rise higher and higher. Finally, now that he¡¯s at his limit with several kilometers of sea spanning over a little above 31.4k km2. With his final attack, he engulfs FoP in blood, draining the world of most of its water. Crushed, it¡¯s finally defeated. Just before he can pass out from exhaustion, he absorbs most of the blood with acidic water mixed in and plummets to the land below.

    Calypso follows Nikolay deciding that it¡¯s best to keep watch over them on the land below. Yet, all of a sudden pink light emerges from Shen just after he is laid down next to Nikolay.

 Stories upon Stories of Concurrent Events

    ¡°He¡¯s awake! Shen beat Sandman!¡± relays Calypso as Leviathan draws closer. His forehead is bleeding as if he had been cut by something.

    Frustrated, Schmidt plunges right into its depths, allowing himself to be swallowed whole. The only thing to be seen far out in the distance are blades poking out every once in a while as Leviathan writhers about in agony. Even its attempts to incinerate Schmidt are entirely worthless as its fireball can only form so far up its tract. Letting a fireball explode within it would just do more damage than necessary.

    Meanwhile, Shen is awakening to the beauty he has just created¡ªHibiscus, pink delight, camelia, orchid, forget-me-not¡­ and spider lilies. Clusters of pink tourmaline shield them from the battle ahead as he¡¯s struggling to move his body. He¡¯s utterly exhausted and can¡¯t get off his feet either. Calypso returns, staring at the gems that had sprung into existence and struck him. Nikolay is still passed out, recovering from his battle as Leviathan is diced to bits by Schmidt.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Calypso asks Shen.

    Shen shakes his head as he once again falls asleep.

    <hr>

    A day has passed since their battle, and the Dream Catchers have scattered, returning to their day-to-day lives. Though they don¡¯t know each other, they¡¯ve gone on to share their ambitions with Shen and Nikolay. Mirage had a rather boorish childhood of arbitrary rules and restrictions, which led her to pursue something as unruly and unpredictable as magic. Calypso simply wanted others to love him and is now trying to figure out how to be loved without enchanting them, going against the contract he had formed with a Z. Bell is neglected quite often and wishes for her imagination to accompany her. Schmidt wished to forge a brighter future for all unfortunate children thrust into these positions of burden and responsibility.

    ¡°Is there anything you want to do?¡±

    Schmidt had left Shen with a pressing question he ought to answer instead of being dragged along by Nikolay. Shen knows he wants to go on a grand journey but has yet to figure out what that journey may entail and why he should go on one. Out of kindness, most of the Dream Catchers he had encountered so far are offering some of their time to him.

    His first destination takes him to Bell, a girl as young as ten years old who had just started fifth grade. With Nikolay¡¯s shapeshifting ability, they can make it into her school¡¯s Christmas event. The cramped gymnasium leaves no room for cold hearts and sad thoughts as they are instantly snuffed out by hearty laughs, bright smiles, and the collective warmth of love. Punch and cake are spread far and wide, waiting to be devoured by the attendees. But first and foremost, a little performance by Bell and her kid¡¯s choir.

    The moment her eyes are set on the disguised Nikolay and Shen, she beams with joy and newfound pride. Her voice echoes and resonates along with the hymns of the other children yet they are so much louder to her two special attendees. Though short-lived, it was an eternity of awe to Shen. He cannot explain what kind of awe he felt, yet he knows that he wants to feel more of it. After her performance follow several songs by the choir made up of older children and one final song sung in unity with all children and a bit of assistance from the audience.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t I amazing??¡± she asks, expecting high praise and more.

    ¡°Of course you were! You were the star of the show!¡± Shen answers as he hoists her into the air.

    Though she¡¯s ten years old, he can¡¯t help but adore her small frame and offer her all she wants for today. After a short night worth remembering, they part ways. Shen knows by now that Bell doesn¡¯t have much of a support system. He can tell that the people who were supposed to be there for her tonight were her uncaring parents. Shen himself can only remember one of these Christmas parties primarily because of a great short-lived friendship that ended when his friend transferred schools without warning.

    ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s up to now? Dead in a ditch because of his shenanigans?¡± he snickers to himself.

    Nikolay can only stand by and watch, admiring Shen in secret.

    <hr>

    Their next appointment took them to the ice rink. Shen was invited by Calypso to drop by and just hang out. Several attempts at breaching the barriers between them were met with one-word answers and short quips typical of a moody teenager. The moment they hit the ice, Calypso runs off to approach another boy his age, almost falling flat on his face.

    ¡°Ahaha! How come your face isn¡¯t flat yet? Is it all the crayons you shoved up your nose as a kid?¡±

    The boy immediately, but playfully, starts off with a joke. Yet, not even a minute later, he slips and drags Calypso to his demise. Their laughter, though stifled, can be heard by anyone a dozen meters away.

    While they have their share of fun, with a few more characters joining their entourage, Nikolay attempts to learn how to skate. It remains a wonder how someone like him can grasp flight and then go on to struggle on land. Shen, though not a frequent visitor of the ice rink, is quite used to keeping his balance. Picking up how to skate isn¡¯t all that hard when you¡¯ve done it before. Before long, Nikolay was already back on a bench, taking off his skates. Not only did he not put them on right, but he also kept twisting his ankles whenever he fell. A superhuman of his kind taking a breather¡­

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Calypso asks as he draws closer.

    ¡°I would be if not for you¡­¡± Nikolay whimpers.

    ¡°You only asked to come. I never said I¡¯d entertain you,¡± he utters as he skates off once again.

    ¡°He was such a nice kid when we were fighting together. Just what happened?¡± Shen bemoans as he keeps on watching Calypso.

    Back when he was Calypso¡¯s age, just five years prior, he would have loved to be embraced by so many people. It seems as if there¡¯s even romantic tension between Calypso and a friend. That kind of love still starts witchhunts among classmates, but it seems his friends and even his potential lover are rather unbothered. He can observe a few gags and jokes aimed at Calypso¡¯s relationship, but they¡¯re all in good fun and something Shen wishes for even now. The fact that Calypso is achieving what once was his only dream without even having to charm them is incredible. He¡¯ll look back to this moment with fondness.

    <hr>

    Mirage, however, spends her days hunting demons and gathering Devil Seeds, along with other dubious opportunities to amass funds, which will eventually help her learn how to use more spells. How one can dedicate their life to endless research as Mirage does is perplexing. But he can see that ambitious spirit in Nikolay, yet with a darker twist to it.

    Mirage¡¯s domain is just as vast as Nikolay¡¯s, yet it contains more objects of research than Nikolay¡¯s. They start their journey in her main hall. It is clearly inspired by some sort of ancient land long forgotten by history. The wall paintings and decorations are clashing with each other. A quipu, an ancient recording device, is located to their right as if Mirage herself had snatched it right out of the hands of ancient Andeans is to the east. Woodcarvings of the Tlingit are to the north. Strangely, dated Ainu knives made of some sort of metal are to the west. The skull and its various decorations are located to the south. Mirage cannot properly discern their origin but believes them to be from New Guinea.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.This rotunda of various collectibles is as round as it is tall. Its six entrances add an ominous aura to the building. The Tlingit woodcarvings possess a golden door leading to who knows where, while the skull leads into her collection of Devil Seeds. To the right of the knives is a red door opposite to a green door, while to their left is a blue door opposing a purple door.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been doing research on demons, right? Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t spoil you, but I¡¯ll invite you to my collective,¡± Mirage claims.

    As they open the humongous black door, Shen can¡¯t help but shudder. Nikolay seems to thrive off of the darkness he can feel overflowing along that corridor. They step onto a moving walkway and begin traveling along the display of Devil Seeds, all of which are contained in golden cubes. Shen wonders whether or not they were provided by Evergreen.

    ¡°Devil Seeds mostly lie dormant till they are exposed to sufficient amounts of dark magic,¡± Mirage states. ¡°However, they can be rather volatile before they hatch, unleashing the demon within. If you deprive them of dark magic for too long, they¡¯ll burst, leaving behind just a few meaningless shards.¡±

    ¡°Dark magic? I¡¯ve read up on that on my Vambrance. Does each door represent an element?¡± Shen asks himself.

    ¡°Have you done your research on the fundamental elements? I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a lot to take in when you¡¯ve just started exploring the world of magic.¡±

    Nikolay grunts. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for two years now. Six of them with one undefined, right?¡±

    He¡¯s boasting as if he had so much more to tell Mirage than she does to them.

    ¡°Six of them? You got that off of your Vambrance, right?¡± Mirage asks as if she has just discovered a grand clue. ¡°Mine doesn¡¯t possess any information on a sixth element. So, let me thank you with a demon of your choosing. Both you and Shen¡­¡±

    Her eyes are that of a snake. Any time she initiates eye contact, Shen¡¯s faced with a gluttonous void devouring any clues it¡¯s given. With her collection of nearly 500 demons, Shen can only pray for the best when making his choice. Meanwhile, Nikolay is carefully examining each one of them. His face is as lovely as ever yet its presence is overshadowed by Mirage¡¯s gaze. After careful consideration, he finally makes his choice, while Shen had made his ages ago.

    ¡°I thought I was the only one capable of seeing their classifications,¡± she claims. ¡°Is that how you¡¯re weighing your options?¡±

    ¡°You can see them too??¡± he says excitedly.

    ¡°No, but thank you for telling me something so invaluable. I initially only cared for Shen¡¯s presence, but yours is growing more intriguing every second. Mind if I study you for a dozen Devil Seeds of my choosing?¡±

    ¡°Just back off and let us leave!¡± Nikolay responds.

    Regrettably, due to Nikolay¡¯s unease and time constraints, they have to move on to their next venture.

    <hr>

    Smoker takes them to their second to last spot the same day they ventured into Mirage¡¯s domain. Their secret adventure leads them up the Berlin TV tower. For some reason, it doesn¡¯t light up like Shen is used to. Though the facilities on the inside are rather spooky under these circumstances, there¡¯s some kind of beauty to it Smoker likely is aware of. Its beauty would shine far brighter if there weren¡¯t a few McDonald¡¯s just scattered around the area along with their chain-smoker gassing up their tour.

    ¡°We¡¯re going all the way to the top? At this hour?¡± Shen asks. Yet he¡¯s met with no answer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s always such a weirdo,¡± Nikolay adds.

    ¡°Fuck you,¡± he replies to Nikolay.

    They continue their ascent past the restaurant and bar with the elevator. Somehow, they even switch past the observation deck onto an entirely different space. The moment their elevator comes to a halt, it shatters, leaving only the floor behind. They¡¯re taken by surprise as they find themselves in a dark room lit up by just one holographic copy of Earth.

    ¡°676th Enforcer of the O.GER.,¡± he shouts at the sphere as his vambrance becomes visible. It¡¯s entirely different from Nikolay¡¯s and Shen¡¯s and likely has more access to certain functions. Mirage seems to indicate so.

    It responds by highlighting Germany granting access to information on all kinds of Dream Catchers. They¡¯re met with awe as the sphere zooms into Bavaria, highlighting just one Dream Catcher. She goes by Railgun, yet several aliases are assigned to her. Most notable are ¡®Cursed Child¡¯ and ¡®Tool¡¯.

    ¡°Anyone bearing a Vambrance or a Gauntlet has a record. If I ever wanted to find out where you are or what you may even be up to, I could do it right away. That¡¯s what you agreed to by getting involved,¡± Smoker says.

    ¡°But you¡­?¡± Nikolay asks before being cut off.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to. Plebian Dream Catchers get plebians with potential involved in signing contracts with Zs. Councils pass regulations as long as they align with the Overseer¡¯s vision. Then, Plebian Dream Catchers live their lives according to these rules. You are no exception to them.¡±

    There¡¯s a clear hierarchical structure among Dream Catchers, yet something seems amiss. The moment Smoker fixates on ¡®Tool,¡¯ a few key points are presented to them. According to this network, she¡¯s just a convenient scare tactic no one should associate with. Her purpose was to have blame assigned to her for things that were out of her control. That blame would steer people away from acknowledging the actual failures of those responsible with the expectation that Dream Catchers would eventually kill her. Strangely enough, she has survived that hostility and is now climbing the ranks while still remaining an object of hate. Railgun is a convenient way to funnel away attention from the actual perpetrators.

    ¡°You could become just like her if you fall out of favor with me or many other Dream Catchers with authority. You should be more aware of your actions! Don¡¯t make me lecture you again! And you, Sunny, ought to consider your place. I will not hand out any more favors to a disappointment of your kind!¡±

    As soon as he is done grandstanding and lecturing these two, a bright flash blinds them as they are teleported home. Nikolay is speechless as Shen is trying to figure out what exactly spurred this reaction.

    ¡°Why? Did I do something wrong, Shen? Am I doing too much?¡± Nikolay asks as if he had just been disowned.

    ¡°He¡¯s telling us to be careful. He only ever talks like that when he presents himself as Smoker the Dream Catcher,¡± Shen claims, even if a little uncertain. ¡°He can¡¯t offer us any more favors since we¡¯re officially involved. Meeting all these other Dream Catchers was probably the last thing he could do for us?¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡± A Z has presented itself simply, making itself comfortable on top of their couch.

    Nikolay bites his tongue and spits out blood spikes, stopping right before the Z.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Us Zs operate independently. We only grant contracts to potential Dream Catchers!¡±

    He retracts his spikes and waits for its next action, switching from sadness to hostility.

    ¡°He told us to relay a little message. He wishes you well but cannot aid you any longer. Regrettably, he has to cut ties to protect you. If you wish to talk to him again, only do so on official business. Otherwise, you jeopardize your safety and your future as a researcher. For now, you¡¯ll have to spend your time apart.¡±

    ¡°For now?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°¡®Some day, our paths will converge again. I await that day with impatience and would love to tell you more about myself when the opportunity arises. Take care, Sunny from your chain-smoker Ruben,¡¯ was all he had to say.¡±

    Since their paths aren¡¯t entirely severed with a few threads connecting them, there¡¯s hope. Still, Nikolay can¡¯t help but break down the moment the Z departs without ever stating what it gets out of delivering Smoker¡¯s message. Shen has yet to find his purpose in accompanying Nikolay. Yet, that night he slept over at Nikolay to comfort his little mischievous devil he is awoken by a voice.

    ¡°I could possibly have an answer.¡±

 The Beauty of Ego

    Atop a flat plane stand its host, a starry-eyed young woman who happens to be a stranger to this world and their visitor, one who¡¯s accompanied by great might and potential. Several constellations he had never seen before paint the skies above, along with one lone ring hovering along it. Its black presence along with the rainbow aura, adds some sort of familiar and imposing beauty.

    The platform holding them up above the empty abyss located beneath them is decorated in marble. Marble columns were laid out on the edge of the cold and metallic platform. Black, pink, and purple marks of script indecipherable to Shen plague the collums almost as if they were corrupting them.

    The pink-haired woman inviting Shen to offer answers to his questions is wearing a long white dress with golden ruffled sleeves. A golden ribbon is tied around her waist into a small bow. She¡¯s also wearing black Victorian boots. The only things that feel a little dissonant to her outfit are the paint splotches wrapping around her waist all the way to her right shoulder.

    ¡°I apologize. Let me introduce myself,¡± she says with a soothing tone and incredible grace. ¡°You may refer to me as Viatrix. I exist solely to keep a record of what I set my eyes on, and I wish to aid you in choosing your journey like I have many others.¡±

    Now that he¡¯s taking a look at her face, the long braid lying on her left shoulder, along with the flowery pattern eyes, are falling into focus. Their beauty speaks of graceful curiosity, slightly differing from Nikolay¡¯s adventurous curiosity. Every person who has truly left an impression on him has eyes that differ from the average person. Mirage, though having normal human eyes, had ones that could devour just about anyone daring to impart any feelings of vulnerability.

    ¡°Have I spoken out of turn? Are my words not coming across in your tongue?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry! I was just confused about where I am,¡± he replies.

    She sighs, relieved at the lack of a language barrier. ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself be bothered by my domain. Think of it as a vivid dream. I believe it to be far wiser to stray from details and focus on us conversing.¡±

    ¡°Well then¡­ I guess I¡¯ll start off with introducing myself,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯m Shen. 19 years old. I don¡¯t really possess a grand purpose or duty. I¡¯m honestly hoping you could help me with that.¡±

    ¡°We can only talk,¡± she claims. ¡°I cannot tell you how to live your life and how you ought to act, however, I can offer you some insight and advice, yet I refuse to set you on a path you yourself didn¡¯t choose. This interaction alone strays from my philosophy as an observer, so I vow to keep this conversation as brief as possible.¡±

    Her words are rather flowery, and her sentences needlessly long.

    ¡°You likely would prefer to be seated, am I correct?¡±

    Somehow, a throne is located right behind her as if it had always been there, while a comfortable couch is waiting for Shen to come to rest.

    ¡°So you¡¯re some sort of patron saint, I guess? Like some sort of Saint Christopher?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Unfortunately I am not well-versed with mythology deriding from your place of origin, but I surmise these ¡®patron saints¡¯ are akin to protectors,¡± she answers. ¡°Saint Christopher likely is your protector of voyage?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Something like that¡­¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t know what I should do. All these other Dream Catchers are full of hopes and aspirations for something. Bell wishes for solace, Calypso for warmth, Mirage for research¡­ Schmidt and Smoker likely also have their own lives and their own yearnings, but I don¡¯t have anything like that. I do have Nikolay, but centering my life around my love for him doesn¡¯t feel right. He wouldn¡¯t want that anyway.¡±

    ¡°There lies no shame in uncertainty. You are allowed to possess no grand purpose nor a final goal,¡± she claims.

    ¡°If you¡¯re open to talking about yourself, please do. We may reach a satisfactory conclusion.¡±

    ¡°Where do I even start?¡± he asks himself. He hasn¡¯t really spent a lot of time reflecting on his actions or his lack thereof. Shen has spent his life dancing to the tune of his parents. The remaining adults that were a part of his life were likely to just order him around as well. It wasn¡¯t until he met Nikolay that he truly began to ponder about what he wants. His wants and needs weren¡¯t ever a priority. He just had to obey.

    ¡°I guess¡­ If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll tell you¡­ whatever comes to mind, I guess?¡±

    She nods.

    ¡°I sometimes feel like I don¡¯t remember anything at all. So much of my life has just gone by with little control over it. I never really dressed the way I wanted to. I never had haircuts I ever liked. I never picked subjects I cared about. I never had a choice in friends. I never had a choice¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re aware of just how fickle friendships can be considering you¡­ I don¡¯t know. Forget what I said,¡± he says while twiddling his thumbs.

    ¡°Point is, friendships don¡¯t last when you¡¯re a kid. You just kinda have them or don¡¯t. I mostly didn¡¯t. So, I held onto the few friendships I had. Back in kindergarten I had a friend who just suddenly stopped talking to me. I probably said or did something stupid like I always do, but I really wanted to be friends with him. I kind of tried to apologize by writing a letter but I could only spell out my name. He just kept ignoring me even when we were way older. I kept thinking about how cool it would be if we just talked again up until recently.¡±

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°That does sound rather lonesome, yet I understand that most relationships are temporary. Few last more than a lifetime. Many end before they come into full bloom. However, you have plenty of time ahead of you. You¡¯re free to bond with whoever reciprocates your warmth. Keep going.¡±

    She expectantly awaits his next story as Shen continues to dwell on her last sentence. Where is he going? Where should he head to? Most importantly, how would that affect him and Nikolay?

    ¡°My father is an asshole to the core. He lacks tact, is a violent bastard who should have died at birth, a drunkard who¡¯s never dependable¡­ He¡¯s so quick to lash out yet such a fucking coward that he¡¯d never fight back against anyone with power, authority, or strength. When I was six, his so-called love manifested in hitting me so hard I hit the wall, and I¡¯m pretty sure he gave me a concussion. Why? Because I¡¯d gone missing for a few hours! What do you do when you find your missing child? You obviously beat the shit out of them!¡±

    ¡°I cannot resonate with your experiences, but you¡¯re not unlike the many characters I have come across. Beaten, battered, and crushed by your own gene donors sounds dreadful. Like you, they were uncertain and fearful, with no clear motive or direction. They often were unwilling participants in society, drifting along with no control of their own. To be beaten into submission¡­¡±

    She sighs.

    ¡°There are days where I can resonate with them. I am bound to this space without reason. Though I cannot claim that I had been bruised and battered, I do drift through time, waiting to stumble upon someone I can invite. Chatting with you as I do now isn¡¯t entirely within my control.¡±

    ¡°Please continue.¡±

    ¡°I once had to comfort my mother because she was throwing another tantrum. Apparently, she had had enough of my father and I constantly disrespecting her and had a meltdown. She then kept raving about how she¡¯s a bad person and that we always want her to just disappear and go away. Would she comfort me when I cried? Nope. Never! Too self-centered! When I told her about getting bullied by some classmates, she¡¯d tell me it¡¯s because I¡¯m related to her. When I told her about teachers being unfair, she told me that it¡¯s because they hate her. When I came home with bad grades, it was all about how I was trying to spite her. Me, me, me! Look at me! I¡¯m the victim!¡±

    ¡°You were too kind. You¡¯ve showcased far more patience and grace than she has as your caretaker. Take that with pride.¡±

    ¡°Please go on.¡±

    Once again, she¡¯s pushing him to continue talking about his experiences. Her answers aren¡¯t offering a lot of substance, yet talking with her does seem a little therapeutic.

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s one weird moment that just came to me. There was this teacher I had, some old lady, who was just a few years away from retirement. She promised to bring us some sort of homemade fruit curd if we all were good kids. If I remember correctly, she left to get some more of her curd. She likely stored it in the teacher''s lounge, considering she wasn¡¯t away for long. The only request she had was telling us to be quiet, or else you wouldn¡¯t get anything.

    However, there was this one kid that forgot to bring a bowl so he was asking me if we could share mine. Of course, I said yes, even though he was kind of bullying me quite often. But she came back just as I was telling him that I didn¡¯t mind sharing my bowl. She told me that I¡¯m not getting anything. You know, back then, I would have just cried, but for some reason I didn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t quite wrap my head around why she would punish me. I was always the kid who had done all assignments with good grades, amazing discipline, and incredible respect. How come the one and only time I act out of turn, I get punished? It made no sense, considering many kids would be a massive headache during lessons all the time, and they got away with it scot-free. That always seemed to happen to me. Protecting some kid from getting bullied, reading ahead in class, fighting back against bullies¡­¡±

    ¡°Even your authority figures are prone to acting irrationally. Such rigidity benefits only those trying to preserve the peace. You dared to differ from the others and were judged for it,¡± she says.

    ¡°How do you fare now? Your parents seem to be people you aren¡¯t particularly fond of. Do you share bonds with others? Any obligations that are tying you to them? Family you have found through effort and cultivation?¡±

    ¡°My job was shit, so that never worked out. None of the people working there were ever my age. Even if or when they were, they¡¯d leave before I could make friends with them or just be too catty, bullying each other like a vapid group of popular kids.

    I never made friends at uni. Sure, there were a few group chats and all that. But all that ever happened was an exchange of notes. Maybe some partying for all those who hadn¡¯t dropped out yet. I think one guy tried to ask me out but I fumbled that somehow.

    Other than that. People would initiate friendships, but I never could do it myself. I don¡¯t think I ever tried hard enough¡­¡±

    ¡°Then why not try again?¡± she inquires.

    ¡°Again? I never tried to begin with¡­¡±

    ¡°Back in kindergarten, you had attempted to mend that friendship. I am certain that you have done so again and again.¡±

    Her words offer a little comfort, yet they¡¯re not enough to encourage him to try again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I guess I did talk to a lot of people these past few months. But I couldn¡¯t have done that without Nikolay. I wouldn¡¯t have done anything without him. I can¡¯t understand-¡±

    ¡°Yet you wish to understand them,¡± she interjects. ¡°Could it be that you yearn to learn more about others?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ The past few months have been fun. Maybe that¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. I¡¯ve had a peek at your interactions with these people you call Dream Catchers. Your friend appeared to be rather uninterested and incredibly cautious, yet you seemed far more approachable and invested than he ever did.¡±

    A bell tolls, signaling the end of their little conversation.

    ¡°Our time is limited as are the amount of answers I can hand out to you. I wish I could indulge you for a little longer. I wish to learn a little more about you the same way you wish to understand others. I believe a certain beauty lies in discovering what lies behind the ego of not only strangers but also your own.¡±

    Rumbles, bangs, and thunder almost conceal her last words. The entire conversation has faded into oblivion, as has his memory of their meeting. Yet, somehow, through sheer will, he allows his memories to persist.

    ¡°Beauty? Ego?¡± he mumbles to himself, half-asleep. He feels some sort of force trying to weigh on his eyelids while attempting to take his memory.

    ¡°I guess she¡¯s right. The Beauty of Ego¡­ I¡¯ve been meeting all these people because of Nikolay and I do want to stick with him. I¡¯ll get to meet many more when we¡¯re together. I think I want to meet many more people. I want to meet her again. And I want to know these people even more.¡±

 Happy Birthday II

    ¡°Happy Birthday!¡±

    December 21st, 2013, is Shen¡¯s 20th birthday, which Nikolay ought to celebrate. Shen had forgotten that day since he had no reason to celebrate growing up. His lack of reaction concerns Nikolay as he slowly takes hold of his gift.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°No! Thank you!¡± Shen replies hastily as he attempts to unwrap his gift. Carefully picking it apart to keep the wrapping paper intact, he finally reaches the small box containing the gift itself. His eyes bulge open as he attempts to wrap his mind around the price. An iPhone 5s is occupying Shen¡¯s hands. Spending 549€ on an iPhone¡­ Shen had never expected anyone to be willing to spend that much money just on him.

    ¡°Are you sure? Isn¡¯t that too expensive? I-¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± Nikolay interjects. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! My wallet gets to weep for a month, and you get to have fun. Don¡¯t sweat it.¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t gift you anything nice for your birthday. How is that fair?¡±

    ¡°Then repay me next year!¡± he offers as some sort of respite to his worries. ¡°I already charged it. You just have to set it up.¡±

    After a rather short process, Shen set up his new phone replacing his shabby old one. With haste, Nikolay adds Shen¡¯s new phone number right before helping him transfer his photos onto his new phone. Switching from buttons and outdated tech to WhatsApp and other messengers that wouldn¡¯t cost him a fortune for just one tiny text is a massive upgrade. You¡¯d think with their Vambrances that the world would be much more advanced, yet they¡¯re dealing with what once were outdated models ten years ago in the world of dream catchers.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have any plans for today, do you?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°No. Nothing.¡±

    Nikolay cheers as he dusts off an old cassette player and the PS3 of the former inhabitant of this apartment. He has several movies on deck, waiting to be criticized and ridiculed for their lackluster plots. Pizza, shortcakes, fizzy drinks, popcorn¡­ everything you need for a perfect birthday hangout.

    ¡°Last night, I had a strange dream about some record keeper who observes those she has taken interest in¡­¡±

    Nikolay sighs.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°More information I have to keep track of! That¡¯s all¡­¡± Nikolay grunts. ¡°But you¡¯re okay, right? Nothing done? Nothing said? No hurt feelings?¡± he asks.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I-¡±

    ¡°I honestly hate it,¡± he interjects.

    Shen is puzzled.

    ¡°I hate the thought of you being out there getting hurt because I¡¯m not strong enough to protect you. When we were fighting that Fusion or whatever it¡¯s called with you passed out below while I had my own duties¡­ Not to mention when I almost lost it against SID,¡± he moans. His frustration with his lack of strength is understandable. Smoker was more powerful and possessed far more authority over others than he likely ever will which is keeping them apart. ¡°After absorbing that blood-water flood, I had to purge it in my domain, and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s still there.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°We can check right now if you want to.¡±

    ¡°Nah. Today¡¯s your day. We¡¯ll talk about what you want to talk about. We¡¯ll worry about your problems. Let¡¯s just focus on you,¡± Nikolay says with his mind fixed on Shen. ¡°So, your dreams and your powers? What¡¯s up with that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m honestly just as clueless as you are. But I think I know what I want to do. Like how you¡¯re invested in studying demons.¡±

    Nikolay nods.

    ¡°I do want to venture out into the world with you, but I don¡¯t want to do it just because of you. I want to see more people and see many more sights. That domain we fought in was beautiful. I¡¯m sure there are many more out there worth exploring. If not, there are worlds out there worth seeing. I¡¯m not just going to embark on a huge quest because of you but with you¡­ together.¡±

    Nikolay turns away.

    ¡°Oh,¡± he says, grinning as he¡¯s tapping his foot.

    ¡°So that¡¯s what you found out in your dream? Curiosity in people? That¡¯s your journey?¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­ Meeting Smoker and the rest has me intrigued,¡± Shen says. ¡°None of that would have happened without you,¡± he sneers, knowing Nikolay can¡¯t contain his excitement.

    ¡°Well¡­ What¡¯s up with her?¡±

    ¡°She was kind of strange. She kinda bowed while introducing herself as Viatrix. She also used a lot of flowery words I¡¯d use on whatever I had to submit for uni. I think she¡¯s also kind of lonely. Apparently, she¡¯s always just been in that lonely stumbling upon people. But she can just manifest stuff in there. Maybe that¡¯s keeping her entertained.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to help her?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°How would I even do that?¡± Shen counters.

    ¡°We can try. We¡¯re meeting Schmidt tomorrow. Right before New Year''s Eve, we can make time for Railgun. Maybe even go on vacation. While we¡¯re doing all that we can figure out how to make money. Smoker has given me enough clues to figure that out. Maybe we can even cooperate with these shady Zs¡­ And talk to Mirage even though she¡¯s creeping me out.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Shen says, feeling a little floaty. ¡°There¡¯s so much we have to do.¡±

    Thinking of the future feels strange to Shen. Until recently, there wasn¡¯t anything he¡¯d ever look forward to. Having a future was just incomprehensible to him. He¡¯d keep himself busy in school by being a good student so that he wouldn¡¯t have to think about the future. He¡¯d keep his mind occupied with music or reading when he was trying to get to another destination. He¡¯d walk and shut his mind off so he wouldn¡¯t have to confront the future.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite cold¡­ Maybe we should get you some blankets? Wanna leave for a bit before getting dinner?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    As such, they embark on an evening walk as the winter sun sets as early as ever. There hasn¡¯t been a lot of snow, and Christmas likely won¡¯t be as pretty as they hope. It¡¯s also a little warmer than they¡¯d expect, meaning their winter wear doesn¡¯t have to be as heavy.

    ¡°Winter hasn¡¯t been as cold as it used to be. Used to wear mufflers and all that at this time,¡± Shen claims.

    ¡°I guess? The last two years haven¡¯t been that cold either, so I can¡¯t tell.¡±

    The streetlights begin to turn on. It¡¯s barely past 4 pm.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t today the shortest day of the year? Or was it yesterday?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°Yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d know that,¡± Shen jeers.

    ¡°Well¡­ You may be book smart but not¡­ smart smart¡­ Something smart, okay!¡±

    As Nikolay huddles up to Shen to make space for someone walking by, Shen¡¯s heart beats out of turn. With Nikolay¡¯s arms crossed, there¡¯s not much of an opportunity with so little bravery. Yet, despite his closed-off stance, Shen reaches for his hand. Hand in hand, they head off to buy some blankets and dinner.

 Our mighty smith

    December 23rd, the Sunday before Christmas, Schmidt is as reliable as ever. He¡¯s spending most of his days in his small shop of comic books selling all kinds of goodies to customers. The only thing people ever come for is candy. On Sundays he serves Dream Catchers. Depending on their order, he¡¯ll even serve them on days that are reserved for civilian customers. Since he lives on the outskirts of town, he has rather relaxing workdays for the most part. Some would ask how he keeps himself afloat while he answers in riddles keeping his secrets.

    ¡°Sorry for only being able to make time for right before Christmas! Hope I didn¡¯t ruin your plans,¡± Schmidt says. This brawny figure is rocking in a chair clearly not made for rocking around. The pun on his sweater is a pun most fathers would think of. ¡®How rude-olph me to eat the last cookie,¡¯ it says with a reindeer eating a cookie.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We don¡¯t really have any plans for Christmas,¡± Shen says.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re busy. Shop and family keeping you busy I suppose?¡± Nikolay adds.

    Schmidt slightly grimaces as Nikolay unintentionally strikes a soft spot.

    ¡°Sunny, Selen¡­ I¡¯m not upset at the both of you, but you have to be more cautious when it comes to addressing a Dream Catcher¡¯s personal history. Many have lost loved ones or never had anyone to begin with,¡± Schmidt claims. ¡°I certainly have though I wouldn¡¯t mind telling you more as long as you¡¯re comfortable.¡±

    Schmidt grabs two wooden chairs from the back while offering them a basket of fruits and sweets. Why he¡¯d be so hospitable remains a mystery. From the way Smoker had dismissed them just a few days ago, you¡¯d believe they¡¯d be less hospitable.

    Nikolay is quick to scarf down apples Schmidt had peeled and cut up for them.

    ¡°I believe it¡¯s best that I start off with myself. Schmidt is my last name yet I am not afraid of having my identity out there. Do you know why?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s a common last name?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Owning such a shop isn¡¯t quite as common but not a lot of people set foot in them. People tend to ignore them even when they¡¯re intrigued. They¡¯re kind of invisible. Every once in a while someone will waltz in, ask for something, order something, and so much more. Sure, it¡¯s still enough to keep myself afloat but nothing I could live a luxurious life with.¡±

    Hiding among plain sight isn¡¯t a bad strategy.

    ¡°Why are we even hiding to begin with? Shouldn¡¯t magic be more well known and out there enriching people¡¯s lives?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. I doubt anyone other than the Sovereigns know.¡± He looks concerned yet it seems as if he¡¯s settled with the fact that he might never find out. Not asking questions and keeping to himself has kept him alive for so long.

    ¡°Sovereigns?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°They¡¯re more akin to rumors. Among Dream Catchers you usually only know of your own position and those below you. Even when in possession of a higher quality vambrance, you likely have less access to information than you believe yourselves to be¡­¡±

    ¡°Why though? It¡¯s a hassle for everyone, no?¡± Nikolay can¡¯t grasp why anyone would keep such great knowledge to themselves. It¡¯s irritating and frustrating yet it also excites him. Forbidden and forgotten knowledge that he¡¯ll have to stumble upon or discover sounds like a great journey. But he still can¡¯t forgive people being needlessly secretive for their own agenda.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. People are afraid of the unknown. Maybe that fear keeps them in check? I¡¯m certainly afraid of asking questions the way you do.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s circle back on loved ones and personal histories.¡±

    They nod in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯m among some of the oldest Dream Catchers to have ever lived. At the age of 39 I¡¯ve even outlived some of the strongest warriors out there. Could you imagine why?¡±

    ¡°Do Dream Catchers have a short life span?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°The life expectancy of a Dream Catcher lies at 20 years. Six years higher than 70 years ago. A year lower than a decade ago. Our actual lifespans supposedly are much higher than that. But fighting demons and infighting poses such a great risk that even veterans are prone to dying. You wanted to study demons, right?¡± His fists are clenched and his lower lip is trembling. He¡¯s keeping his composure but even he cannot be sure for how much longer.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d walk away. Fall in love, have a family, partake in society¡­ There are many open secrets I¡¯d rather keep from you. Knowing of them now wouldn¡¯t do you any good. I became a Dream Catcher at 15, lost a friend just a year later, and gave up on being a Dream Catcher. I occasionally had to fight demons so that my Soul Solid wouldn¡¯t be clouded by dark magic, but mostly kept to myself.¡±

    ¡°At 21 I had a kid. He was an accident but had it not been for him, I wouldn¡¯t have married my at the time girlfriend. We were lucky enough to have our love grow stronger unlike most married couples that came about because of these circumstances.¡± He sighs. Obviously tragedy had struck at some point in his life.

    ¡°Then why are you fighting now? Or are you doing that to rid your Soul Solid of dark magic?¡± Shen doesn¡¯t know of Soul Solids or what they mean to Dream Catchers. Right now, he¡¯s focusing on Schmidt¡¯s story. He can ask more questions later.

    ¡°Shortly before I turned 37, he took his own life. I tell most people that he had died in battle valiantly defeating a Ravager, but he was a Dream Catcher who had lost someone he held dear and couldn¡¯t bear that burden. Our only son¡­ My wife never knew why he did it but she could tell that I did. She left me and I haven¡¯t heard of her ever since. I¡¯ve been operating as Schmidt ever since that day. Crafting weaponry for Dream Catchers so they wouldn¡¯t pass, discouraging rookies from fulfilling their duties as Dream Catchers¡­ I can¡¯t stand the thought of kids like you being dragged into this clusterfuck of debauchery.¡±

    A suffocating silence fills the shop almost bursting through the windows as it crushes the owner and his visitors.

    ¡°I fight to help these kids. My craftsmanship exists to guarantee just a few more months of life for these unfortunate souls so that they may stumble upon an out that will shield them from harm.¡± His eyes are closed. Something says that he¡¯s resigned to his fate.

    ¡°But a lot of them don¡¯t find a way out, do they? They just die, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an outlier because I ran away. Had I not, I likely would have partaken in a battle against a Ravager that had decimated dozens of us. I would have become just another part of a statistic at the age of 16 like so many others.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you told me to quit¡­¡± It finally dawns on Nikolay. ¡°You can¡¯t see me succeding. You can see me dying maybe even before the end of winter?¡±

    ¡°No. I can see you running away. Selen would die but you¡¯d run,¡± Schmidt claims. It¡¯s appalling that he¡¯d even suggest Nikolay surviving over Shen.

    ¡°I knew of you beforehand thanks to Smoker. He, in a moment of weakness, divulged that you two were operating under your own agenda unaware of the danger that entailed. I told him to test you two with that Fusion. It¡¯s also the reason why Mirage invited you without asking anything of the two of you.¡±

    It¡¯s a lot to process. No one had outright told Shen that he may die let alone that he¡¯s going to. Nikolay¡¯s heart grows heavier as he had been aware that lots of danger surrounds him, but being told, in some shape or form, that Shen may die because he had dragged his friend into this ordeal, is weighing it down even more. Yet, despite their fear, Shen is holding onto Nikolay¡¯s hand.

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t run away!¡± There¡¯s some sort of determination emerging within Shen. It¡¯s all too familiar to Schmidt. ¡°Even if he were to run away I wouldn¡¯t let him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what my friend said about me. I dreamed of purpose yet instead I was left behind to watch others struggle and suffer while I cowered in fear.¡±

    The silence that followed drew a wedge between them. Their image of this powerful warrior blacksmith clashing with the real Schmidt is draining them of their motivation. This warrior isn¡¯t a hardened fighter offering advice to rookies¡­

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t run away.¡± Though he initially reacted with being defensive, he can¡¯t help but offer some sort of comfort. ¡°You returned. You¡¯re fighting again. You could have found someone else and gotten remarried but you didn¡¯t. You could have a fresh start again yet you¡¯re out here fighting.¡±

    ¡°Fighting? You don¡¯t know the half of it but that was cute, boyscout. I¡¯m sure that kind of pep talk will get you somewhere.¡± He begins cackling at Shen. Though his story is still lingering within the air, having some sort of reprive is good enough for now.

    ¡°Let me apologize for being disrespectful. If you can find answers with as little involvement as possible, go ahead. I can¡¯t stop you. But be no Icarus. Don¡¯t fly too close to the sun.¡±

    A white glowing sphere emerges above them. It largens till it pops as a person lands behind them. She looks puzzled as she attempts to figure out who Schmidt¡¯s customers are.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Was I interrupting something?¡± she asks. Her eyes are gray and spotted like the moon. Once again, Shen is met with an individual whose eyes speak of importance.

    ¡°No. You were just on time!¡± Another teaching oppurtunity for Schmidt¡­ ¡°Would you mind telling them why you joined the Magi?¡±

    She¡¯s taken aback as are Shen and Nikolay. Schmidt¡¯s story was just used as an oppurtunity to teach them not to carelessly prod around people¡¯s personal histories.

    ¡°I,¡± she stammers.

    ¡°I¡¯m not seriously asking for it. I¡¯m just trying to teach them a lesson,¡± he says. ¡°You¡¯re part of the Magi, right? You do study all sorts of peculiar Dream Catchers and demons, right?¡±

    She nods. She still looks confused trying to make sense of what¡¯s going on.

    ¡°We¡¯re not supposed to speak of it, but you seem to respect and trust these two¡­ Would you care to listen to the doctrine of the Magi?¡±

 Measurement of Might: Demons

    ¡°If I may¡­ just how much do you know of demons and the truth behind them?¡±

    ¡°Truth?¡± Nikolay asks. He¡¯s fully unaware of what Luna is trying to hint at.

    Shen seems to know what she¡¯s speaking of. ¡°Probably why they exist and how they¡¯re created? We¡¯ve been trying to figure that out the past few months.¡±

    She closes her eyes and sighs, contemplating just how much she should tell them. Upon opening them, she looks at Schmidt trying to illicit some sort of aid as to how she should proceed. Her gaze shifts to Nikolay, who¡¯s curiously awaiting an answer like some sort of starry-eyed child. She then looks at Shen, who seems a little sad.

    ¡°Have you met any humanoid demons? They tend to be on the weaker side, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve stumbled upon some of them¡­¡±

    SID, Two-Faced Standards, and a few more come to mind. Half of the demons Nikolay had come across were humanoid. SID and Two-Faced even invoked strange feelings within Nikolay. Sadness stemmed from SID, while Two-Faced had hit Nikolay with playfulness and joy. Even Mirror was communicating in a way that a person could understand.

    ¡°I think I know what you¡¯re getting at¡­¡± Shen knows the truth. The signs had been there since Day 1. Ever since he laid his eyes on the first demon he had come across, Shen couldn¡¯t help but question a few things. His questions just doubled when he came across Sandman. If not for the fact that they have yet to recover its Devil Seed, this conversation may have come a week sooner.

    ¡°Would you be fine with just figuring out how demons are created?¡± He holds Nikolay¡¯s hand.

    ¡°How? What about what, where, and when?¡± Nikolay is a little frustrated trying to pin down what they¡¯re talking about. But he knows Shen is trying to be considerate. ¡°So? Point is?¡±

    ¡°A lot of the demons you encountered were formerly Dream Catchers.¡± Her eyes are avoiding theirs. As Nikolay looks Shen and Schmidt for confirmation or some sort of denial, he¡¯s met with that same sort of avoidance. She¡¯s pointing out the ring on her ring finger. It¡¯s pure white with a moonstone embedded into it. ¡°The more inner turmoil I experience, the darker it gets. Being exposed to copious amounts of dark magic has the same effect as does using up all of my light magic letting residual dark magic dominate my fate.¡±

    So far, Shen has surmised that Dream Catchers and the supernatural operate on six fundamental elements. These elements are likely laid out on three axes. Light and dark magic sit on opposing ends functioning as positive and negative charges or negative and positive mass. Spiritual Charge is likely opposed to Void Charge. The soul is believed to be a pure mass of spiritual charge, while the void remains an unknown constant that people have yet to discover. Natural Force and Physical Force are the last elements whose presence dictates how living beings manifest. According to their Vambrances, most mammals have a 1 to 99 ratio, while plantlife seems to bear the reverse.

    ¡°Soul Solids, right?¡± Nikolay asks. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen those before, but Schmidt just spoke of them.¡± His hands are trembling, but he¡¯s fairly well composed. Shen can¡¯t tell what he¡¯s thinking, but he knows they ought to talk about it later.

    ¡°More and more talented people have risen to the top these past few years. To perform superhuman feats without a contract is impressive!¡± Luna says.

    ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡± Nikolay is a little snappy following these revelations. ¡°What are Soul Solids?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± Luna replies, feeling rejected. ¡°You¡¯ve come across Z¡¯s, right? They claim to deploy us to fight demons, but considering they give us Soul Solids increasing our chances to turn into one, that can¡¯t be true. They do grant us wishes in exchange for those contracts, but they always employ kids who cannot be aware of what awaits them or are desperate enough to agree to any condition.¡±

    ¡°Any wish? Becoming god too?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ They stalk their prey and stake out what kind of wish you¡¯d ask for. One of them likely is around right now, waiting for the day that you two form a contract with them. If you¡¯re dying and at wit¡¯s end, you can expect them to show their presence.¡± These scheming creatures seem awfully cruel. Their sights are set on their own goals and it seems as if no one is any wiser.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way to eradicate them either?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°Not that we know of. They¡¯re some sort of hivemind whose origin remains unknown. We¡¯ve never seen their births either, and whenever they are killed, the other members of their hivemind eat the remains. Even if you were to stop them from devouring the leftovers, they miraculously disappear after just 100 hours.¡±

    Schmidt scoffs at them. ¡°So, now that your grand mystery has been uncovered¡­ What now? Without purpose, you¡¯re bound to give up, right?¡± He seems thrilled with just the thought of having these two kids give up living normal lives.

    Yet his joy immediately diminishes, knowing that he¡¯s likely not getting anywhere with these two. ¡°What¡¯s your new objective then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, given up already? Our mighty smith is surprisingly docile. Look at that, Shen! This man is pathetic!¡±

    ¡°Zip it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll look into how they¡¯re created and check whether or not all of them are Dream Catchers. Sunny has come across animalistic demons, and a few of them are based on objects. We can¡¯t dismiss the many possibilities that still remain.

    There¡¯s also how and why they branch out into these strange classifications. Subclasses and the like ought to exist. I doubt we can just boil them down to the few we have at hand.

    Lastly, we want to check whether or not that ¡®demonification¡¯ is reversible. If Dream Catchers are turning into demons eternally trapped with the perpetual need to feed on people¡­ We can¡¯t just dismiss that. Finding an alternative form of feed or turning them docile likely could be of benefit. MoB could have been used as a training dummy.

    We also want to explore many more domains. Maybe there¡¯s even a universe beyond this planet begging to be seen. It could be within reach, you know.¡±

    Luna seems surprised, maybe even alarmed. Maybe these views could align with hers.

    ¡°You embody the Magi like no other Dream Catcher. You cannot remain here wasting your time on that journey alone! Join us, and we¡¯ll accommodate you with anything we can offer.¡± She¡¯s almost fanatic and begins to power down as she takes notice of the surprised faces. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°No! We¡¯re capable of observing and learning and have to use that power! Wasting away, not growing any wiser, is stupid!¡± Nikolay counters. She¡¯s met with the same enthusiasm. Bouncing back and forth between ideas and concepts while she respectfully keeps her tabs on facts she believes Nikolay to be unaware of.

    ¡°Let¡¯s pipe down. We agreed to meet, not just for your little theories, right?¡± Schmidt has other plans for the two of them. ¡°Before you go off to discover demons, check for the heights and limits of Dream Catchers. It usually isn¡¯t wise to make your abilities known. Many Dream Catchers are territorial to the point that gangs will wipe each other out over territory disputes. But we¡¯ll start off with a little lesson on killing demons.¡±

    Schmidt had purposefully prepared a scenario for the two of them. This awfully quiet demon, containing its urges to kill trespassers, is fairly powerful, with no henchlings to protect itself. After careful consideration, Schmidt has decided that this powerful beast ought to be made a display.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.This behemoth of a bony figure feels incredibly powerful. A lone Ravager is hovering above a grass planes on its lone spot of respite. Butterflies floating by attract its attention ever so slightly as they perch on the flowers around them. Posted up on its invisible throne, a rag wrapped around its neck concealing its torso while keeping its arms hidden, another rag covering its lower half all the way down to its knees, and a face wrapped up in bandages¡­

    With them is a stranger whose hair is flowing like passionate flames. The only thing he¡¯s wearing is white cargo shorts waiting to be sullied in battle. He¡¯s young, muscular, and sounds rather powerful due to their confident stance.

    ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± Nikolay asks. He¡¯s ready to engage in battle. ¡°It¡¯s not doing anything, but since you¡¯re so intent on killing them, let¡¯s get this over with.¡± Yet he¡¯s not entirely willing to kill a demon not threatening their immediate safety.

    ¡°I thought you had special detection powers? Shouldn¡¯t you know of its status as a Ravager? You can¡¯t rush to your death!¡± Schmidt is quick to point out his impatience.

    ¡°He¡¯s full of passion, Schmidt! Don¡¯t quell his flames!¡± He seems eager to send them out into battle.

    ¡°Your apathy is why no one ever wants to fight with you! Just do as told and stand by before you get these two killed!¡± Schmidt seems rather furious. Luna may agree, but she¡¯s still uncomfortable with the animosity between them, even if entirely on Schmidt¡¯s part.

    ¡°Selen! Anything you can observe about its combat capabilities?¡±

    He desperately tries to gauge its strength, but the only thing he can take away is that these quiet monsters are akin to powerful video game bosses. Something about it is unsettling. Shen finally finds something to hold onto. ¡°It¡¯s always trying to face us. Even though it wishes to interact with the butterflies, its eyes are set on us.¡±

    ¡°Correct! Even if a demon seems aloof and harmless, you ought to observe them. But you can¡¯t observe them for too long. I¡¯ve had several lose their patience and irrationally attack their prey without any kind of strategy.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ But we haven¡¯t encountered too many demons with strategies,¡± Shen says.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Shortly after conception their powers are simple and limited. A small fledgling may just bite and scratch you. After several encounters, it may evolve to develop powerful fangs and sharp talons. Eventually, they¡¯ll learn to hide in the shadows and fire its talons like nail guns. It may not seem like much, but every little ability every deviation from simple powers are strategies. Rapid evolution, especially the willful kind found in demons, is a survival strategy. You can observe it in animals as you can in demons.¡±

    That piece of insight may extend their lives for a little longer. However, they have yet to learn how to handle these threats with clarity and strategy in the heat of the moment. Luna quietly listens and nods as Schmidt hands them his piece of advice. The moment Nikolay turns to Shen to badmouth Schmidt, this Ravager delivers its first blow, almost shattering Nikolay¡¯s dome. A shield bash by Schmidt prevents his near-demise as their fifth fighter, Burnin, manifests a halberd made of flames. Luna is quick to push the two of them in a portal, letting them observe the battle from afar.

    ¡°Stay with the rookies, Luna! The two of us can handle this thing!¡± Schmidt is quick to order them around.

    However, several arms emerge from the rag wrapped around its neck, revealing its total number of appendages. Powerful blows strike Schmidt¡¯s shield, bending it out of shape. Burnin is quick to attempt cutting off its arms, yet quick reaction speed allows the Ravager to punch the swing so that its arm may be seared but not detached with the halberd lodged in and slowly burning out of fuel. Of course, that alone isn¡¯t enough to shatter their wills. A fireball directed at its head burns off the bandages covering a multitude of eyes. It seems not entirely immune to the flames but resistant enough that simple burns aren¡¯t a finishing blow.

    Schmidt and Burnin are pulled into a portal before the Ravager could initiate its revenge. Yet, with its eyes revealed, a powerful roar unleashes several beams sprouting from its eyes. Luna, once again, teleports them away.

    Now that they¡¯re even further away, they can discuss how they should deal with this hellspawn.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way we can close in now that its eyes are exposed. Maybe we should retreat.¡± Schmidt is uncertain whether or not victory is even an option. Being faced with sudden death surely can have that effect when you barely evaded it. ¡°But we can¡¯t just let it remain either.¡±

    ¡°I could always track it down. We can try again another day even if more people were to fall victim to it,¡± says Luna, willing to accept a few more civilians as sacrifices.

    ¡°And what if it evolves past that, you idiots?? We can beat it if we try harder! I hurt it so you two can plan like cowardly little puppies! Just tell me how to kill it!¡± Burnin clearly isn¡¯t as willing to allowing civilian sacrifices. He seems indifferent to Dream Catchers running off to their deaths.

    None of them consider Nikolay a capable fighter, and Shen clearly has no grasp on his powers, nor can he activate them, so his participation is out of the question. Being on standby like two little toddlers waiting for adults to be done talking is frustrating. To be utterly incapable of rendering aid stings.

    ¡°Say, Luna, how many portals can you manifest at once?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°It depends on distance and size, but as long as I still have the stamina to do so¡­ like infinite pairs?¡± She gently smiles, believing Shen to be up to something that may drag them out of this rut. ¡°Is that anything the two of you can work with?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s test it with just one portal. I don¡¯t want to die looking stupid,¡± Shen says to add some humor. ¡°Sunny, fire a stream of blood as soon as it pops open. Please?¡±

    Nikolay was in a trance processing what just happened, but Shen¡¯s confidence is pulling him out into reality. He nods as he draws blood by dragging his nail across his palm. As soon as Luna creates the portal, he fires into it, letting them observe an explosion from afar. For a second, the beam stopped, only to continue and almost strike Nikolay. He¡¯s blown off his feet along with Shen as he barely intercepts the beam with another shot.

    ¡°I see!¡± After closing her portal, she believes she has discovered some sort of fatal flaw nestling within this Ravager¡¯s choice of attack.

    ¡°Sunny can rapid fire his blood, ejecting it from his body like it¡¯s nothing, and as long as he¡¯s in contact with it, he can harden it.¡±

    ¡°Only small amounts! I can harden small amounts. A gallon is my limit.¡± His wound has already closed, and his interception speaks of insecurity. He¡¯s not entirely sure he can be of use to them.

    ¡°What about continuous streams? Outside your body?¡± Luna asks. She seems to have something in mind.

    ¡°Oh? Can you keep track of all your portals?¡± Shen likely knows what she¡¯s thinking of. Their minds are in unity as their intellect merges.

    ¡°No. Keeping track of more than three pairs is exhausting and rather hard. But I think I only need to think of Schmidt¡¯s and Burnin¡¯s entryways.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true! They¡¯re our heavy hitters. Niko-¡­ I mean, Sunny¡¯s attacks are only a distraction.¡±

    Schmidt is starting to catch on as well. However, he¡¯s leaving the planning to just the two of them, proudly watching them piece together their grand plan. Nikolay has a clue to what they may be thinking of while Burnin feels entirely out of the loop. After a short discussion, their plan is fully developed.

    ¡°Now, onto the final test! Sunny! Do your worst!¡± Shen says.

    Biting off all his fingertips, Nikolay creates a dozen masses of blood. However, a few of them burst before they can even be used as weapons. A few more burst after firing their beams leaving behind puddles of blood, partially sullying Burnin¡¯s pants.

    Luna instead just has him firing beams directly out of his fingertips into smaller portals. That alone likely isn¡¯t enough, so they have Burnin cut off his toes for more beams. With twenty beams, they have far higher chances of overwhelming the Ravager.

    Finally, the operation can start. Nikolay begins firing away into Luna¡¯s portals. She skillfully places them all around their target to create some sort of smokescreen. In a panic, the Ravager fires away, trying to eliminate these threats. However, the distraction alone isn¡¯t enough to create an opening. Dealing with its dreadful arms follows as Burnin emerges from a portal spending almost all his stamina to cut off the arms on the right while Schmidt cuts off the arms on the left. Luna delivers the finishing blow by decapitation with a chakram thrown through a portal. The four of them, exhausted, have beaten this demon in swift fashion due to Shen¡¯s strategy. The collective might of five Dream Catchers has led to the defeat of this beast.

    Shortly thereafter, they part ways as Schmidt, Burnin, and Luna have their lives to deal with. For now, they¡¯ll part ways with contact information exchanged for future endeavors.

 Gratitude

    These two lovely researchers are rushing to complete a proper celebratory meal. Shen and Nikolay are invited to celebrate along with the Magi. Their tiny troupe of phantom researchers was supposed to be camping out as fugitives but for today, they¡¯re spending their time with Nikolay and Shen. Though it may be a little cramped, there¡¯s enough space to shove them all into this apartment. Since Nikolay also has his eyes on their diets, he¡¯s doing his utmost to create a feast anyone can enjoy.

    ¡°You don¡¯t cook like that most of the time, though. You should have said something, chef,¡± Shen remarks.

    ¡°I guess¡­ Maybe I should make sure you dine a little better,¡± Nikolay says. He seems genuine and likely would make sure Shen feasts like a king.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t seriously mean it. You don¡¯t have to treat me better.¡± Shen can¡¯t help but chuckle as he¡¯s putting on a coat. To be celebrating Christmas was a distant thought not too long ago. His mother had stopped celebrating birthdays and the like long ago. His father stopped doing so even earlier. ¡°Just having you around is enough. I technically don¡¯t even live here, and you¡¯re this nice.¡±

    ¡°I have to be. I¡¯ve been meaning to be more thankful for all the help we¡¯ve gotten.¡± Cozy warmth is buried within Nikolay¡¯s expression. ¡°Smoker has given me a home and maybe a bit of purpose. Schmidt is testing my patience but also my limits and has given me advice. You, Shen, have given me love I¡¯ve never had. Something about gratitude, I guess.¡± Though he¡¯s looking away, trying to be as expressionless as possible.

    Shen leaves their home early and a little tired to get a few more ingredients and snacks. ¡°Snowfall would be nice.¡± Walking along the busy streets surrounding their apartment at this time of day is oddly refreshing. Many are running their last few errands to stock up for the holiday season. From presents to groceries to fireworks¡­ Everyone seems quite busy. Had Shen not quit his job, he¡¯d be working right now, waiting for his shift to end. The next few days would have been exhausting trying to keep up with so many customers and so few coworkers.

    ¡°Gratitude, huh?¡± If not for Nikolay, he¡¯d still be pushing to get a degree he never asked for. To quit right before acquiring it may not have been the smartest choice, but fighting for something his parents had pushed him into felt wrong. They initially helped fund his way into uni, but just a year into his life as a student, he was already covering all costs. Most of the money spent was his, and providing for your child is a given. ¡°I should thank him for pulling me out of that misery.¡±

    With his tasks finished and their budget spent, he returns home to Luna and another visitor. To be met with her in casual clothes and another stranger.

    ¡°Is he one of your Magi members?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s their 1st Magus, Kenny. He may look tired, sad, and depressed, and like he had just gotten out of bed with a massive stick up his ass, but Luna claims that he apparently is nice and respected.¡± Kenny has spited Nikolay somehow. There¡¯s no way their first interaction went well when he¡¯s met with far more vitriol than anyone else ever had.

    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry! Come on! Let¡¯s just move on, okay?¡± He sounds a little hoarse, as if he had caught a cold. He too, bears a ring like Luna, so who would have thought that he¡¯d succumb to illness as a fellow Dream Catcher.

    ¡°He even sounds sleazy! Very respectable guy, huh?¡±

    ¡°Lay off,¡± Shen says as he takes off his jacket. He¡¯s rather unimpressed by Nikolay¡¯s barrage of insults. ¡°You went out of your way to prepare a feast. What could he have said to deserve all that?¡±

    ¡°Not telling!¡± he screeches. The few times his face isn¡¯t pale are the ones where he¡¯s emotionally charged. Clearly, something had hit hard enough to catapult him to 100%.

    With the last few ingredients gathered, Nikolay can finally complete their little welcoming party. Their visitors are numerous, coming in one by one. Though they are a collective unit, they have no proper headquarters of their own. Meetings occur within rented offices or someone¡¯s shared living spaces. Their funds may be far more numerous than Nikolay and Shen have made in a lifetime, but they mean nothing when met with expensive scientific equipment.

    ¡°Introduction round! Line up!¡± says a young boy no older than seven. ¡°Cool Magus! Next!¡±

    To his right is a rather young person too androgynous to be seen as male or female. ¡°Robin,¡± they say with haste. Maybe entering puberty may change that.

    Next to Robin is a girl, likely in her late teens. With her arm swung around them, she says, ¡°That¡¯s Robin. I¡¯m Mina. And our little goofball is Adrian. He¡¯s our cool Magus for today.¡± Her voice is a little robotic and monotone, and it sounds as if she¡¯s forcing herself to be more open with Nikolay and Shen.

    ¡°Gertrude, but most people call me Trudy,¡± says a girl in glasses a little shy but nowhere close to Robin.

    ¡°We¡¯re Melody and Rythm. We¡¯re kind of traveling musicians.¡± While Rythm is introducing them, Melody is poking her, trying to push her buttons. A quick smack to the back of her head shuts down any attempt to test Rythm¡¯s patience.

    Next to the musical pair sits a rather rowdy-looking one wearing only shorts and a sweater. He¡¯s barefoot while snuggling with the guy next to him. ¡°Randy and Bennett. I think we¡¯re the only foreign nationals here, along with Luna.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re hosting this thing. Don¡¯t let yourselves be deterred by Sunny. He may look scary, but he¡¯s kind of nice, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Kind of? Selen? Kind of?¡± Nikolay replies jokingly.

    ¡°Yep. And the person sitting next to me is¡­?¡±

    ¡°Tristan and Kenny. 2nd and 1st Magus,¡± says a tall, lanky guy who looks even more disheveled than Kenny does right now. Like most of the people here, he¡¯s using his actual name instead of an identity made up for their lives as Dream Catchers.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Hey, I can introduce myself.¡± Kenny seems a little miffed.

    ¡°You¡¯ll scare them off like you always do. Even Evergreen has far more tact than you do,¡± counters Tristan.

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°Well, you two already know me, but let me reintroduce myself.¡± She seems excited. ¡°As a Dream Catcher, I¡¯m Luna, but today, as a person, I¡¯m Karen. Once again, nice to meet you.¡±

    Finally, their last guest makes herself known. ¡°Evergreen, but we¡¯ve met before. Before Cool Magus can spoil the surprise, let it be known that I¡¯m Alina. Regrettably, another member cannot join us today and Mirage is coming in a little later.¡±

    ¡°The one that acts like a witch?¡± Nikolay asks. ¡°She¡¯s part of the Magi, too?¡±

    ¡°Mira¡¯s coming, too?? With more tasty snacks, right???¡± Adrian holds her dear. From the sounds of it, she¡¯s likely not as scary as Shen and Nikolay think.

    After all their introductions are dealt with, Evergreen/Alina rises from her seat. The couches they had brought in are boxing in Nikolay¡¯s little coffee table along with the hosts and visitors. ¡°We ought to express gratitude to our generous hosts. Their kindness is unmatched considering the circumstances we¡¯ve met in. A toast to Sunny and Selen¡­¡±

    Uncertain as to how they should toast off, a few raise their glasses with Adrian almost spilling some of his hot chocolate while the rest clap. They begin dining with a distance to them. Shen is itching to strike up a conversation topic like a few others wish to as well.

    ¡°I know talking about a Dream Catcher¡¯s history is difficult, but I still can¡¯t help but wonder how the Magi came to be. From the sounds of it, you haven¡¯t been around for long, right?¡±

    ¡°Our history?¡± Kenny is hesitant to answer that question. ¡°Are cliff notes fine? I¡¯ll try being truthful.¡±

    Shen nods.

    ¡°We initially had a few more comrades. Most of the people you see here are new additions that we happened to stumble across. It was initially us five siblings trying to survive and stopping people from turning into demons, but then we were separated. Our second youngest was captured years ago. Our older sister is lost trying to find us, so now I¡¯m the oldest protecting Tristan and Adrian,¡± Kenny says. ¡°Since she became a Dream Catcher to protect us, we owe it to her to prevent her from turning into a demon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when they met me. I was desperate to go into ethical research, not at the cost of some kids. Scum had turned this world into a greedy mess, so someone ought to fight with them,¡± Alina says. ¡°That was a few months after they escaped. It¡¯s been thirty months since then.¡±

    ¡°And then I joined as their secretary. I almost turned into a demon, but somehow, they saved me. They may look a little scrawny, but these Magi are incredibly powerful. Each one of them can take on a Fusion by themselves,¡± Karen claims. These claims feel outlandish. No one could have considered them to be this powerful. ¡°But I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t mind keeping that to yourselves, right?¡±

    The remaining members are keeping to themselves, not offering up any information. Robin is hiding behind Mina before anyone could pose any questions. Randy and Bennett are keeping to themselves for now. Gertrude seems willing to talk a little more but it¡¯s best not to prod too deep.

    ¡°Superpowers!¡± Adrian yells. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Expecting a seven-year-old to be knowledgeable of their powers is nonsensical.

    ¡°Teleportation? I believe it to be just that.¡± Even Karen sounds uncertain of her own powers.

    ¡°Light for me, flesh for Kenny.¡±

    ¡°Flesh?¡± Nikolay is impressed. ¡°I only have domain over my own blood.¡±

    ¡°Flesh and¡­ something you¡¯ll get to know someday.¡± Oddly mysterious. Quite terrifying. Knowing that his powers are related to flesh specifically, has Shen asking all kinds of questions about the possible body horrors Kenny could come up with. Nikolay biting off his fingers for a greater blood supply also sounds rather disgusting.

    Gertrude summons a staff made of climbing roses. Their vines are perfectly intermingled. ¡°Gardening. I can also create sheers and other gardening tools.¡±

    ¡°Fire, but I¡¯m sure by now you¡¯ve met all sorts of people with fire-related stuff.¡± Bennett is right. Within these past few months, they¡¯ve come across Hellfire, Burnin, and now Bennett. ¡°Since it¡¯s so common, many people can teach me how to control them.¡±

    ¡°So you can fit into another rigid mold, huh? I¡¯m the one with cement powers.¡± Randall is quick to follow up on whatever Bennett has to say.

    ¡°We don¡¯t really understand ours either, and they haven¡¯t had time to help us test them. We¡¯re the newbies, so don¡¯t worry about them keeping secrets. We¡¯re keeping just as many till they spill theirs,¡± Melody sighs. She sounds a little down, worrying Karen a little bit. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Karen. We¡¯ll feel right at home eventually.¡±

    ¡°We-¡±

    ¡°Not telling!¡± Robin interjects and stops Mina from revealing anything about the two of them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t tell you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t dig into your history. I¡¯m not dumb enough to do that.¡± Nikolay¡¯s attempt to diffuse the situation isn¡¯t working as well. ¡°I do have two incredible secrets that only my partner in crime knows of.¡± His second attempt seems to work a little better. Remembering how afraid he was to tell Shen about how he acquired his home, he knows opening up isn¡¯t easy.

    Since their introduction round and their icebreakers are behind them, they can move on to far more fun things: watching Christmas movies aimed at children. Patiently waiting for Adrian to fall asleep, they count down the minutes. Finally, sometime shortly before 8 pm, he has somehow exhausted himself enough to fall asleep. Shortly thereafter, they go on to watch a few horror movies, just trying to see which one of them would scream loud enough to wake up their little sun child. Robin and Randall leave at 10 as they still live with their parents. Mina leaves shortly after Robin, as they seem to be the main reason for her stay. Bennett, Melody, and Rythm depart at 11 with Bennett escorting them home while Rythm is being dragged along as she¡¯s feeling weightless and coming this close to falling asleep. Not long after midnight, they finally are done cleaning up and getting everyone home. Only Kenny remains, just wishing to go on a walk with Nikolay while Shen¡¯s already gone to sleep.

    ¡°I heard about your demon studies. From Karen.¡± He swallows a strange pill and starts smoking. ¡°I think it¡¯s really admirable how you¡¯re so ready to embark on another adventure when you¡¯re done with demons.¡±

    ¡°Is it? I¡¯m kind of just winging it, and I¡¯ll probably always do that.¡± Nikolay doesn¡¯t sound all that confident now that he¡¯s not performing in front of a crowd. Uncertainty seems to always plague him.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s nice. I haven¡¯t had the chance to relax and breathe since forever.¡± His voice is slightly trembling. ¡°You¡¯d think being responsible for Tristan and Adrian, I¡¯d keep to myself and not take in a bunch of strays that need to be cared for, but I can¡¯t help it. I can¡¯t just stand by while others are struggling.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a hassle,¡± Nikolay says. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being all annoying earlier. I¡¯m just not very good at dealing with all these new emotions.¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have called you selfish. You never meant to drag Shen into all this.¡±

    ¡°But I should have known that I was putting him in danger. I was lonely, so I selfishly dragged him into this,¡± Nikolay claims.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t. And even if you did, there¡¯s nothing wrong with being selfish. For now, on this happy occasion, let¡¯s just be grateful for what we have now.¡±

 Measurement of Might: Dream Catchers

    Once again, the two of them are meeting Schmidt. Before they go off to visit him, they have presents to exchange as well as many words. Emotionally charged on high-octane love, they¡¯re sitting on their couch. Nikolay had his wrapped at the store while Shen clearly hand-wrapped it himself. Since they¡¯re still a little fresh on gifting due to their history of solitude and their rather young and immature love, they both got each other electronics.

    ¡°Woah! Aren¡¯t those still pretty expensive?¡± Nikolay¡¯s holding a Kindle.

    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s a model from last year. You don¡¯t have too worry about the price after replacing my phone,¡± Shen says. ¡°I just thought since you already do that much reading thanks to demons, it would be nice to read anything other than that. Maybe you could even link it up with your Vambrance.¡±

    ¡°No it¡¯s amazing!¡± Holding him tight in a bear hug that could crush him, his gratitude and love shoots to the max. ¡°My present looks pathetic compared to yours.¡±

    ¡°Not at all! A phone case and headphones are really thoughtful. Thank you!¡±

    Though they should be getting ready to meet Schmidt, they can¡¯t help but remain stationary. The warmth they¡¯re sharing within their cuddles is intoxicating and impossible to let go of. With no words spoken, they remain frozen for a little longer. After about five minutes, they peel off each other.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t wanna miss our bus.¡±

    <hr>

    Now that they¡¯re united once again, their next session is underway. Today, Schmidt wants to school them on Dream Catchers starting off with the basics. However, they¡¯re in a different location than last time.

    ¡°You likely haven¡¯t fully grasped it yet, but any ability is a good one! Anything can be honed into a deadly technique,¡± he claims. Schmidt possesses great power due to his craftsmanship. So far, he has only presented them with tools you¡¯d expect from a magical blacksmith.

    They walk into an empty storefront that looks run down and abandoned. On the inside however, it¡¯s a rather modern shop with several counters and displays. Gemstones, vials, guns, blades, and so much more enrichen their view. A lone boy operates this storefront. His eyes are covered by a strange futuristic visor. AKASHA is inscripted on its visor.

    ¡°Welcome. How may I be of aid to an esteemed guest such as yourself Schmidt? Or should I address Sunny and Selen first? May I talk to them?¡± This little boy almost seems almost perfectly crafted into a tool meant for upkeeping this storefront.

    ¡°We¡¯d like to discuss something first. Would you mind waiting for a few minutes?¡±

    It doesn¡¯t respond almost as if it had turned off.

    ¡°The AKASHA System is a powerful rather new system supplying us with all kinds of goods. It was introduced just short of three years ago only being deployed in Germany. Now it¡¯s branching out into the world. It¡¯s projected to take over most of the world by 2015.¡±

    The AKASHA System is a new system that has been operating since March 2011. Prior to its introduction, people were forced to visit their capitals so they can go on supply runs. Many Dream Catchers use finely crafted weapons to fight demons. Their powers alone often cannot manifest weaponry. Some rookies are too immature, inexperienced, and weak to manifest tools. Pills of concentrated doses to help cleanse their Soul Solids, to supplement their lack of strength, and so much more.

    ¡°You¡¯re already registered considering you¡¯ve got two working Vambrances but you should visit a Deck sometime soon. The amount of articles and gadgets you can buy that could further your research, subscriptions and the like to prestigious news firms that exist solely for the magical world¡­ You ought to make time for them.¡± Schmidt is quick to suggest all kinds of leads they could hold onto. It¡¯s almost as if he believes them to be capable of discovering the whole truth behind demons.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s get to it. You¡¯re not the first person with blood-related powers. Iron, vitamins, and proteins would likely be of great help in your battles. I don¡¯t understand the specifics but I know they¡¯ll aid you. Some of these do come with heavy recoil. Before you buy anything, make sure you absolutely need it.¡± Reading the terms and conditions of the products you purchase is never a bad idea. So is going through the list of ingredients on anything consumable. Schmidt is just reminding them that it¡¯s especially true for Dream Catchers.

    ¡°I see. No one ever reads what lies beneath a label unless they¡¯re on the shitter bored out of their minds.¡±

    Schmidt cackles before addressing the young boy. Upon reactivation, this space expands into a massive data space before reshaping itself into a consultation office with just enough chairs to seat all four of them. Holograms and the like make themselves known. Three tablets present themselves yet Schmidt tosses his watching it blip out of existence. Shen does as showcased while Nikolay is the sole buyer for this session. The Akasha is patiently waiting for their responses.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°There¡¯s so many options on here. How do I even narrow down what I want? Pretty interface though.¡±

    ¡°May I be of aid?¡± Akasha asks. Nikolay hands him the tablet. ¡°How do you make use of your powers? I may have been ¡®inactive¡¯ yet I was listening. Sunny, your blood-related powers could be augmented by many means. If we assume you to possess a lack of offensive capabilities, supplements could induce toxicity. If you struggle to create wounds of your own that remain open for long enough to end the foes you¡¯re facing, we can supply you with the tools necessary. If you cannot cope with the bloodloss induced by your abilities, we can test supplements and the like.¡±

    To be met with so many options has Nikolay considering purchasing something for all three of these hypotheticals. He can harden small amounts of blood and their offensive capabilities aren¡¯t very impressive. Had he faced off against Leviathan, he would have perished with no way of defending himself. He¡¯s also considered that FoP and any other demon bearing diluents could render his abilities useless.

    ¡°You¡¯ve always just bitten yourself right? It sounds ineffecient and kind of looks disgusting. Why not start off with that, Sunny?¡±

    ¡°In that case, may I know how refined your abilities are? Do you harden by sheer might or by use of spiritual power?¡±

    ¡°You can use that to harden?¡± Another tool has presented itself to Nikolay. ¡°By sheer might, I guess?¡±

    ¡°Very well. You likely expend incredible amounts of blood. Is that correct? But you¡¯ve been operating for two years so we believe you to be capable of some form of flight. Are we correct?¡±

    Nikolay nods. The fact that they¡¯ve had them in their sights for two years is terrifying. They likely know of his renting situation and it wouldn¡¯t surprise him if they knew of his origin.

    ¡°Would you be comfortable with any gadgets being placed on your torso? Or would you prefer to use gauntlets and the like? And how well do you fare with needles?¡±

    ¡°Needles? I¡¯m almost numb in my fingers and toes. But nowhere else so getting pricked is no bueno.¡± To deal with the pain, his body has likely adapted to reducing the amount of feeling in his hands or at least his fingers.

    ¡°Then your hands should be fine, right? You¡¯ve built up some pain tolerance or numbness. You can extend that to your limbs and eventually your entire body,¡± Schmidt claims. ¡°You have to make sacrifices whether you like it or not.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Limited numbing, blood loss of great proportions, less than average pain tolerance for a Dream Catcher,¡± Akasha states. He takes a few seconds to pick out the ideal product. After careful consideration, they finally manage to pinpoint what could be Nikolay¡¯s perfect starting gear. ¡°CD-GFc V2.1s, a magnificent tool that may be slightly outdated yet perfectly fit for Dream Catchers of your kind.¡±

    A holographic image pops up in front of them showcasing the might of these gauntlets. At its core are arm warmers with self-repairing cloth providing little to no defensive capabilities. Right on top are miniture blades within syringes attached to sturdy container. This container surprisingly stores 500 ?iters of any liquid within them through unknown magical means meaning at full capacity on both arms Nikolay may be weighed down during flight or at least have reduced maneuverability. Though they don¡¯t add much to increase his defensive capabilities, they are quite handy. These ¡®gauntlets¡¯ are something to behold.

    ¡°If you wish for a stable supply of blood, we can always provide you with more by use of additional gadgets.¡± The Akasha boy also presents them with several capsules and a belt strap to contain them. Of course these come with subscriptions in exchange for a steady supply and the right to repair. Depending on the subscription, repairs may be free.

    ¡°Woah! Subscription hell! Awesome!¡± Just a bit of consideration is needed to purchase just what he needs. For his final choice, Nikolay kicks out Shen and Schmidt.

    Finally, after depleting half of Nikolay¡¯s savings, savings that he for the most part wasn¡¯t aware of, they¡¯re heading to Schmidt¡¯s shop to talk a little longer. So far, they¡¯ve only spent their time in the civilian area. Now, they get to step past it, into the section he keeps as a work station. This dark space is more akin to a domain. How it can reside here and create far more room than there actually is, remains a mystery to anyone other than Schmidt.

    ¡°You¡¯re still here Calypso? You can go back home. I only needed you to guard the counter.¡± Schmidt goes for headpat only to be brushed off.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Calypso walks off leaving his shop. ¡°I¡¯m not a child.¡±

    Though worried, Schmidt supplies them with the advice needed and a little surprise. Within his hands lies a lone blade stained bloodred. Nikolay can feel his own blood surging from within. With just a few hand movements he can extend it, widen it, sharpen, and even slightly alter its shape. This cleaver was made out of him and obeys his will.

    ¡°My ability is to craft tools. I can craft basic tools whose durability is increased by use of spiritual power. They¡¯re not impressive and have lost their value after just one battle. Their durability, sharpness, and flexibility depends on the material¡¯s quality. Living beings surprisingly make for great tools. This¡­ thing was made out of the dilluted droplets I could gather from our battle. What little was left on me now is that blade. Don¡¯t worry about altering its structure. It will always go back to the shape of a cleaver.¡±

    Nikolay is impressed. He wordlessly declines it before realizing that it¡¯s a gift. Shen too, is speechless. ¡°You can¡¯t do that! I have to pay for it somehow!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Schmidt says. ¡°This gift comes with my final lesson.¡±

    They patiently listen to his words of wisdom.

    ¡°Any ability has its use. Any Dream Catcher can rise to the top with their abilities. We all fill some sort of niche that let¡¯s us stand out. My renown blacksmithing skills, your scouting abilities, Selen¡¯s potential for leadership¡­ You¡¯re weak but with enough time and thought you can be far stronger than any of the people you¡¯ve met so far. Don¡¯t let up.¡±

    With his full trust in them and everything that needs to be said behind them, he can finally bid them farewell. Knowing that they truly have the means to fight for themselves is all Schmidt ever wanted out of these past few days.

 Venturing into Uncharted Territory

    On the 2nd Christmas day, right before the New Year, they¡¯re on their way to Bavaria. By use of their Vambrances, they¡¯ve managed to get in contact with Railgun. Though she was hesitant to give them a location, she did give them a meeting spot and a bit of trivia. Bavaria is split into seven administrative districts of which six Dream Catchers hold power over. Railgun holds dominion over Swabia. Her presence has lead to a lot of turmoil but since someone as renowned as Raven, the person that owns most of the AKASHA System, spoke well of her, people have grown less hostile and sceptical. Shen can imagine that leading people who do not respect you as a person must be hard.

    ¡°Wanna play chess?¡± Nikolay sounds eager to quell his boredom.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t know how to play? And I haven¡¯t played in years.¡± But Shen doesn¡¯t seem to mind teaching him how to play. If anything, keeping his mind occupied is likely for the best right now.

    ¡°Teach me as we play. Like some sort of practice round!¡±

    They commence as Nikolay manifests a chessboard from his domain. Its neither bloody nor soaked meaning he has recovered from his battle with FoP. Setting up the pieces, he curiously inspects each and every single one of them.

    ¡°You know, I never had someone to play with. Smoker couldn¡¯t be arsed to learn chess but he knew how to bet it all and lose it all on random card games. Something about being an idiot.¡±

    ¡°An idiot? Card games aren¡¯t for idiots. You always decimate me in them.¡±

    With the board fully set up, Shen presents Nikolay two pawns: one in black and one in white. Nikolay picks the black pawn.

    ¡°What a shame. I go first.¡± He moves his first piece. ¡°This is a pawn. You have a whole row of them. If I¡¯m remembering correctly they don¡¯t really do anything than move one step ahead or two on their first move. Oh and you also want them to get to the other side so you can transform into other more powerful pieces.¡±

    His pawn now occupies e4 one of the four squares sitting at the center. ¡°I think you want your pawns to occupy these sqares along with other pieces. It¡¯s kind of like a command center. Anyone who occupies all four of them, probably controls the game.¡±

    ¡°Probably?¡± Nikolay asks himself. He picks up a pawn of his considering whether or not he should just do what Shen is doing. Finally, he decides on blocking Shen¡¯s pawn. ¡°Marvel at my brilliance as it stifles yours.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Unimpressed, Shen makes his second move. Now two of his pawns occupy the center without riski of being snuffed out since Nikolay knows nothing of the game. ¡°Next¡±

    ¡°Copy block!¡± Nikolay copies Shen once again.

    Shen is quick to knock over Nikolay¡¯s pawn on e5. ¡°Well you must be aware of pieces being claimed, right? Something like that. Or games would drag on forever.¡±

    ¡°Yeah but why can you do that?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ you can also move pawns diagonally to¡­ um, capture pieces! I think they¡¯re the only pieces that capture differently.¡± Shen seems elated that he can explain the game for the most part. He¡¯s still a little unsure just hoping that Nikolay would pick most things up.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see. I see.¡± He captures the white pawn on e4. ¡°Like that?¡±

    ¡°Like that!¡± Shen makes his next move. Before he could explain his next, something catches Nikolay¡¯s attention. Their short session of chess abruptly comes to and end as they close in on their goal. Though most of that journey was spent sleeping, Nikolay thought it was a rather enriching one despite waking up only for some food he had prepped that morning.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get off here. We¡¯re in the right city. Getting off here isn¡¯t much of a problem. It¡¯s still the same city,¡± he says. ¡°There¡¯s a demon roaming nearby. It¡¯s just a Scrounger but it¡¯s best to take care of them now.¡±

    ¡°What about her? Should I send her a message?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Quick.¡± Now that they¡¯re in the capital of Swabia, they are within foreign territory. At least in their hometown they are capable of finding escape routes that would drag them out into the public if they ever were to face off against hostile Dream Catchers. Here in Bavaria they have no allies, no friends, and no home advantages. Their baggage vanishes within Nikolay¡¯s domain.

    ¡°Do you have a name yet?¡± Shen asks.

    ¡°THC¡­ cannabis, huh?¡± Nikolay wonders how this demon came to be and what their origin curtails. Perhaps it was a Dream Catcher unjustly brought before court to be met with fines over something so trivial. As they enter its domain, Nikolay feels some sort of relaxation as smoke nearly swallows them both while Shen remains unaffected. This world is dimly lit by streetlights. The lights are stained green creating a spooky atmosphere with the green fog.

    ¡°Make it quick.¡±

    Nikolay grins as he summons his new plaything. It looks as if he bought the entire set. The gloves are now proper gauntlets with plating on the fingers akin to brass knuckles. The tool belt along with the capsules are present as well. His first countermeasure is creating a blood mist while releasing a few droplets. Like a beast, THC closes in with its claws drawn. The knuckles block its first blow brushing them off as if it was nothing. Without even seeing its true appearance, Nikolay smashes its head in. The domain dissipates shortly thereafter.

    ¡°Huh. It¡¯s pretty weak.¡±

    Yet suddenly, a beast comes crashing down from the skies along with its domain. This behemoth almost crushed Nikolay beneath its countless furry arms. Nikolay instantly realizes that he¡¯s met with a Fusion. ¡®The Glutton¡¯ is this horrid amalgam of demons devouring and subjugating them. They¡¯re not a true Fusion as they cannot work in harmony. They¡¯re simply under the main monster¡¯s command with no autonomy of their own.

    ¡°Run!¡± Nikolay floods the area with copious amounts of blood to make way for some sort of escape. Shen can only make it for a few steps before drowning beneath the flood of blood. He¡¯s hoisted out by Nikolay as they take off above the Fusion.

    ¡°It must have waited for you to beat that Scavenger! Just try heading out.¡±

    Making it out of this domain sounds almost impossible. This cavernous space interlocked by fleshy webs pulsating and growling whenever they fly by seems infinite. Usually, you can escape domains by flying past the horizon or walking for long distances. Some domains loop in on themselves meaning exiting is almost impossible. These walls make it impossible for Nikolay to escape meaning they have to confront that gluttonous beast.

    ¡°We have to fight it!¡± Shen is ready to confront that Fusion. ¡°You¡¯re just wasting your energy flying around like that!¡±

    ¡°Huh?! Are you insane?? It took six of us to beat that other Fusion!¡±

    ¡°That Fusion is that Fusion! This Fusion is this Fusion!¡± Shen is quick to counter Nikolay. ¡°Schmidt is a blacksmith. You can sense demons. If Dream Catchers can have a diverse range of abilities, so can demons. Fusion is just a type of demon! It doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s automatically stronger than you.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Shen isn¡¯t wrong. Typing doesn¡¯t necessarily indicate strength. However, it does raise the likelihood of their strength being greater and their abilities being more complex. Nikolay has a name meaning he could at least figure out what its abilities may be. The fleshy cavern is another clue.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Fusion, is called ¡®The Glutton¡¯, possesses several with which it hastily crawls around, and it swallows Devil Seeds whole. You have several of them in your domain, right?¡±

    ¡°No. Just the last two we fought on our own.¡±

    It has cought up somehow. Even though they were maneuvering around so they could loop behind it and take their time to think, it has somehow found them. The fleshy walls and tendrils don¡¯t seem like they act as extensions to its own senses. Their actions feel independent. Nikolay can feel several more demons closing in on them one of which is THC.

    ¡°Several more!¡±

    ¡°Did it spit them out?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know!¡± As they close in, Nikolay summons his cleaver. That bloody blade looks like it¡¯s itching for battle but it¡¯s likely just reacting to his nervousness. They land on the fleshy ground beneath their feet. They pulsate and growel even more but don¡¯t seem to react other than that. Since it¡¯s safe enough to keep Shen on his feet. Nikolay can lure these demons away and fight them without interruption.

    Glutton is crawling closer and closer at speeds as great as its mass. Some stranger pops up next to him. Wearing just a croptop, sleeves that only cover her forearms loosely connected to her crop top, and oversized pants, she¡¯s walking around bruised and battered. Her long black braid is swaying with every step she takes along with her chain blade. Her green lips and black nails tends to point to an interest in gothic elements. She appears to hold some love for the Y2K aesthetic but looks too young to have ever partaken in that culture when it was trendy. Tattoos are covering her right arm while piercings are placed all over her face.

    ¡°What? Afraid?¡± She¡¯s carrying that creepy grin with her. ¡°That your boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°What the fuck is your problem?¡±

    ¡°Relax. I just hunt demons. We can work together and beat that thing or you can do it alone and die.¡± She seems confident. Cooperating with her likely is for the best. ¡°I¡¯m a little off the rocker today so let me get a head start.¡±

    She begins to run like a deranged beast. Her green eyes glow as she¡¯s high on adrenaline crushing the first demon she comes across with ease. THC¡¯s complete form is that of a skinny lanky man with needles lodged in its arms and a sagging beer belly. Everything above the lower jaw was replaced by a bong spewing green fog. The only weapon it possesses are the knifes for fingers that look like homemade shanks. One punch through its chest has it fading away into black smoke revealing its Devil Seed. She had impaled it with her arm.

    Royd, Asphys, and Hyenic Gremhorde, are approaching along with The Glutton. There likely are many more demons it can spit out but so far none seem formidable enough to pose a threat to Nikolay, let alone this stranger appearing out of thin air. Nikolay heads back to Shen just watching that young woman decimate several creatures.

    ¡°Should we just¡­?¡±

    ¡°No, we should help her. At least you can get the ones surrounding her.¡± Nikolay may be willing to ditch that stranger but Shen is not. It feels morally wrong to abandon someone that may be in danger especially when you¡¯re capable of helping them.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just wait for Railgun?¡±

    Shen shakes his head. Nikolay has to help according to Shen¡¯s morals. They can¡¯t escape this domain anyway so they might as well help out in taking it down.

    Hyenic Gremhorde is a demon that swarms its enemies with malnurished gremlins about a meter tall with long limbs and reptilian features like scales and tails. Ganging up on their target and tearing them limb from limb is its usual strategy. Sometimes, it uses its teeth to speed up that process. It struggles to reach her as the swarm is cut to bits and pieces with that long versatile chain blade. Even when they briefly lay a hand on her, she just grabs them and throws them into one of the fleshy cave portrusion with such might that they burst like pinatas.

    Royd has jumped into the air approaching this ruthless slayer from above. Suddenly, it is struck down by Nikolay mid air landing not too far off from Shen. Though it is quite dangerous to be fighting so close to Shen, it at least lets him be close enough to protect him in case things go wrong.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that ugly mug?¡± Nikolay asks. He knows it cannot communicate but mocking it sounds like fun.

    This demon only possess arms and hands placed over the usual extensions of torsos. Two massive bloody hands stand in for its head clasped together as if they were hiding something. Its four limbs are four skinless arms so muscular you could believe them to be stolen from a gorilla. Royd, like its name, is roided up with such a small torso for such huge arms.

    ¡°Damn monkey.¡±

    It jumps towards Nikolay as he swings the cleaver in his left to slash away at the endless muscle fibres covering its arms. Little is achieved with that slash. Blood spurts out for just half a second as the fibres begin to heal. With a mighty right hook, it knocks Nikolay off his feet. Panicked and shaken, he checks for broken bones and the like but can only find bruising. Luckily, his belongings are with his luggage. It would have been a waste to lose Shen¡¯s gift just a day after getting it. His coat vanishes as well within the depths of his domain as he wonders where his cleaver had gone.

    ¡°Aim at its torso! It looks like a weakpoint!¡± Shen is quick to offer Nikolay advice as this muscle-riddled behemoth makes its way towards them. ¡°Here!¡± Shen runs towards the cleaver as Nikolay attempts to gather his composure. Getting back onto his feet fills him with pain. How can he not, when the powerless one of the two is the one fighting?

    Royd is coming closer and closer running towards them on two hands. ¡°Throw it!¡± Shen throws the cleaver at Royd. Nikolay¡¯s weapon simply bounces off as one arm deflects it with a simple motion. However, it contains Nikolay¡¯s blood and therefore can be controlled from afar. It¡¯s swung down like a mighty executioner¡¯s blade yet that alone isn¡¯t enough to take down such a powerful foe. Suddenly, from the lodged in blade, sprouts a cluster of black gems tearing into its torso and its right arm. Royd stumbles and falls.

    ¡°Again! Try doing it again!¡± Nikolay shouts before he watches Shen collapse. That alone was enough to rob Shen of his strength. ¡°Shit!¡± Meanwhile, that gothic stranger is having the time of her life hacking away at beasts that stand no chance against her.

    Recalling his cleaver, Nikolay rushes towards it while it¡¯s still weakened before it can recover. Jumping to dodge its intial strike, he comes to learn that Royd is a lot more flexible than expected. Another blow, though weakened by a mass of blood, connects to his head. This beast is double-jointed in ways that leave little to no openings for striking its torso. Before he can fly off, it grabs him by his dominant arm and swings so hard that it rips off while being crushed. The shock is so great that his consciousness fades as he begins to bleed out up above Royd.

    Yet, that alone is not enough to shatter Shen¡¯s confidence. His body has grown heavy and fatigue is riddling him all throughout his body but he¡¯s running towards Nikolay with sheer determination. The gemstones wedged into Royd¡¯s body react extending even further till they poke out of its entire torso. The demon explodes into blood as it falls over. Shen is quick to pick up Nikolay¡¯s arm before he could land. Shen barely catches him and gently lowers him to the ground. In hopes of reattaching his arm, he lines it up to the shoulder it was once attached to while trying to suppress his urge to puke.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine!¡± he tells himself over and over again. He begins to cough as if something was scratching out his throat. While panicking, he spots their stranger knocked out next to Asphys. It is releasing some sort of gas invisible to the eye. No wonder its appearance is that of a woman made entirely out of clouds. She was just too far away and far too faint to be seen.

    Nikolay rises shaking Shen in a panic. Though he had been knocked out by shock, he managed to regain his composure as if it was nothing. For some odd reason he¡¯s the only one still capable of moving. Incapable of talking, Shen points towards the vixen showcasing the root of their problems. But before they could act, The Glutton drops in from above seemingly having crawled atop the cavern walls. Now that it¡¯s directly above them in perfect view, can Nikolay see just how disgusting it is. A torso with six arms for limbs, pockets of puss constantly popping open oozing some sort of muck,  a fleshy bear-belly with several eyes, and lipless teeth instead of shoulders¡­ The Glutton lands right next to them before¡­

    ¡­before being torn to shreds by ribbons invading from walls of the flesh cavern. A tornado that selectively sucks up Asphys muddies its form as breathable air is pumped into the cavern. The domain dissipates with the stranger still knocked out and Shen regaining the strength that had left his body.

    ¡°So you¡¯re Sunny and Selen?¡± she, a girl in her late teens, asks them with a Z atop her shoulder. Nikolay already believed Schmidt to be more powerful than him. This girl he believes to be Railgun is likely even stronger than Schmidt possibly just as powerful as the Magi. ¡°You¡¯re the ones that wanted to meet me, right?¡±

 Cursed Child: A Tale of Resilience

    ¡°You¡¯re the ones that wanted to meet me, right?¡± This goldilocks defeated a Fusion with just sandals, a wrap dress, and a tank top. To showcase such might and not lose an ounce of stamina fills Nikolay with awe. ¡°Are you okay? You look rough?¡±

    Nikolay looks down at Shen who is slowly hoisting himself into Nikolay¡¯s arms before looking at his own one realizing it¡¯s perfectly reattached. ¡°We¡¯re fine!¡± he yells overjoyed. ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± he says more composed to appear a lot calmer and collected.

    Looking around, he struggles to spot the stranger that had come in to have fun massacring demons. He comes to realize that they stand out like sore thumbs at the end of the platform. They¡¯re lucky only a handful of travellers are around. A strong gust of wind has him shutting his eyes along with the people waiting for their train. Upon opening them, Railgun had changed into proper winter gear fully dressed from head to toe.

    ¡°That woman you were with ran. Did you know her?¡±

    ¡°She ran?¡± Nikolay asks. ¡°Not knocked out?¡±

    ¡°Nah. She was probably acting as if she was unconscious the moment she sensed me entering that domain,¡± Railgun claims. ¡°It¡¯s honestly not a bad idea. Hunting outside your territory gets you in all sorts of trouble anyway. Running while she had the chance was probably for the best even at her level.¡±

    ¡®Even at her level¡¯¡­ even that statement undermines the gap between Railgun and that stranger. Knowing that Dream Catchers get territorial to begin with has Nikolay wondering whether or not there may be actual turf wars every once in a while.

    ¡°I¡¯m not like that!¡± she clarifies. Railgun took notice of Nikolay¡¯s worry. ¡°I lead troublemakers away because they¡¯re such a bother! Constantly going on and on about how I don¡¯t own the land and then going as far as to threaten me! Can you believe it!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I always say too! Then they¡¯re quick to call me ¡®just another kid¡¯ and ¡®some cursed mistake¡¯. I¡¯m sorry, what? I can decapitate you before taking a single fucking step!¡± It seems she¡¯s quite worked up over something. To be met with constant opposition likely leaves its mark on people.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be helping them. His friend is barely responsive,¡± says the Z atop Railgun¡¯s shoulder. ¡°They¡¯re not capable of being a threat no matter how much they carry with them. Shen may be a wildcard but that won¡¯t matter.¡± It is so monotone and matter of fact that not an ounce of warmth or empathy can radiate from its words.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for such hostility Prometheia. You can drop the act. You¡¯re safe with me.¡± They seem to be on friendly terms. After coming to hear of Karen¡¯s view of Zs, Nikolay believed them to be these unfeeling machines with goals beyond anyone¡¯s comprehension. ¡°I¡¯m Elena. I don¡¯t believe in that whole superior/inferior stuff so just ask away or address me as you please but maybe we should head somewhere a little more quiet?¡±

    Her apartment isn¡¯t too far away from here. Making it seem like she lived at the opposite end of town was to keep herself safe. Her infamy has likely gotten her into a fair share of trouble. To be reffered to as ¡®Cursed Child¡¯ likely poses a great amount of danger to her well-being. Now that she¡¯s part of the Bavarian Council, she likely bears far more responsibility without the necessary respect to execute them.

    The moment they arrive, she hands them all sorts of snacks, prepares tea, and even offers them dinner. ¡°It¡¯s least I can do after you went out of your way to meet me.¡± Her house looks tidy and well-kept. Despite her notoriety, she has a nice home to take care of. Though it looks quite neat, you can tell that¡¯s her home. Her personality is sprinkled throughout all the decorations and designs. A sunflower lighting fixture hangs above them illuminating the living room.

    Five flower pots are hanging from her ceiling somehow thriving despite their differences. The first of the five black flower pots has a yellow sword with streaks of what they believed to be lights engraved in it. The snapdragons hanging out of the pot are perfectly still as if in a trance. Purple hyacinths are nested within the second flower pot. A lone blue rifle marks their pot. The third pot is occupied by white lillies. With no marks of its own, a few green almost luminescent threads are hanging out of the pot. Pot number four is inhabited by gladiolus flowers with two blades forming a cross. Their vitality is likely the best among the five flowers. The last pot is engraved with a broken spear. The orchids could be a little healthier, but are far from dying.

    The sunflower light is shining down on Elena¡¯s coffee table highlighting a basket of yarn, a few fashion magazines, and a little diary with a ribbon for a lock. There¡¯s still enough for a few people to dine on with a teepot, several plates of snacks, and their own plates. With attachments and extandable parts it can turn from a teeny tiny coffee table to a nice dining space. The white little rug looks like a risky piece of furniture waiting to be stained but it¡¯s small enough to fit into the washer.

    Her TV and commode isn¡¯t anything special. It still fits to the neat and clean atmosphere yet isn¡¯t anything worth talking about. Next to the TV are the remains of a broken lance that likely once were within the hands of a capable fighter. A green ribbon and a red one are above the glass showcase. To the other side is a broken menorah.

    Her living space is filled with a heavy smog of regrets. The items within her living room are likely dedicated to fallen comrades she¡¯d love to meet again. To bear that weight while navigating a hostile world which refuses to respect her is far too cruel.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Strange living room, right?¡± she says. ¡°You know, since I¡¯m offering you whatever I can, I believe it¡¯s fair of me to vent my frustrations to the two of you.¡±

    Shen is lying atop Nikolay¡¯s lap still recovering from their battle. He¡¯s healthy but fatigued. In just a few days, just in time to buy fireworks, he¡¯ll be back to 100%. For now, he¡¯ll quitely listen to Elena¡¯s story. Prometheia is lying atop her lap as a tiny red-eyed pomeranian letting herself be treating to massages and lots of petting.

    ¡°My life as a normal girl ended five-and-a-half years ago. Shortly before I turned 13, I was just an only child with her loving parents on their way overseas to visit family. Right before we could land, someone on our flight turned into a demon. I know most people wouldn¡¯t choose to become one but I can¡¯t help but hate them. It feels wrong but also kind of right! They should have died at birth!¡±

    Short sighs and shaky breaths¡­

    ¡°Shortly thereafter I met Marcella. She vowed to become my mentor and guide me as a newborn Dream Catchers. With mentors of her own she knew just how I should learn and grow and she¡¯s still a guiding light. I snuffed out her potential to rise as high as a Sovereign reducing her to just another number due to my own weakness and incompetence.¡±

    Shen wants to disagree but he has no right to speak on a stranger¡¯s troubling history.

    ¡°Her mentors couldn¡¯t face me any longer and had sent me away on a bus to Canada so that some other Dream Catchers could deal with me and my fuckups. I ran off of course not wanting to get anyone hurt likely hurting even more people in the process. Some canadian agent shipped me off to Vancouver Island with a few more orphans. Of course these kids were far more talented than I was. The only thing I was good at was taking punches so that¡¯s what I did.

    We grew to care for each other in that harsh environment and a few geniuses managed to devise an escape plan. They kinda turned into their own family of five. I ran off with my own crew. One of us was too disabled to get away so we lost him. Me and four others made do with living on the streets or camping out in the wild fighting all kinds of beings. Of course, tragedy struck again and they were dealt with death. I alone got to escape cause of my cowardice.¡±

    ¡®Fighting all kinds of beings¡¯? Found family of five? Vancouver Island?

    ¡°I lucked out again and made it all the way back to Germany. It turns out there are a lot of Dream Catchers trying to escape their circumstances. Many died on their journey to a fulfilling life. The few that survived¡­ I have never met them again. I was taken in by another one of the Council. She treated me like her younger sister but of course I fucked up again and got someone killed. Now I¡¯m here, alone, only being accompanied by Prometheia.¡±

    There are lots of questions they wish to have answered. Being met with her life story has halted all momentum they¡¯ve built up these past few months. Her nicknames speaking of misfortune bordering on superstition now seem to make a lot more sense. To be met with tragedy wherever you go has to be hard. How can one live when every choice or opportunity seems to turn into another nightmare?

    ¡°We¡¯ve met three of those five kids,¡± Nikolay replies. He feels obligated to instill some hope.

    ¡°You did?¡± Elena is almost expecting some sort of answer proving her wrong. She herself likely believes that misfortune descends on those that stick with her. ¡°But only three of them¡­¡±

    ¡°Adrian, Tristan, and Kenny! They¡¯re alive and well!¡± Shen is almost yelling. ¡°Their oldest sister is still on her way to find them and their younger sister is still trapped somewhere but they¡¯re fine!¡±

    Elena gently laughs at the two of them. ¡°I do believe that I bring misfortune and that I¡¯m not good enough to make up for the pain I¡¯ve caused, but things are actually turning out fine right now. I think life may actually be worth living! But I appreciate the thought.¡±

    ¡°Thank god! I thought we overstepped!¡± Shen is relieved to know Elena is relatively well. Even if there are much better mindsets out there, at least she considers living an option. Dealing with harmful attitudes and forms of self-care can come at a later time.

    ¡°I know now¡¯s kinda bad¡­ But what about Vancouver Island?¡± Nikolay¡¯s curiosity seems to extend past his empathy. At least he seems uncomfortable shifting around in his chair. ¡°And those beings? What was that?¡±

    She seems to spend some time contemplating. The cliff notes of her life story weren¡¯t necessarily things that no other Dream Catcher had experienced. That alone wouldn¡¯t put her at risk. But there¡¯s some sort of fear lying behind sharing details about her histories.

    ¡°Can¡¯t share?¡± Nikolay asks looking concerned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°Have you heard of divine keys?¡± She appears flustered trying to keep her eyes facing downwards. ¡°I know very little of them but we were on Vancouver Island to test something. I wish I knew what they were testing but it has something to do with that. There¡¯s not much else I can tell you. You probably know of demons and their link to Dream Catchers. You also have a superior Vambrance. There isn¡¯t much I can teach you.¡±

    ¡°So leave. You got what you asked for,¡± Prometheia orders shaping herself into a furry snake that looks more like a shadow. ¡°Your presence is repulsive! Don¡¯t poison Hellfire with your words as he is none the wiser when it comes to demons.¡±

    A taxi ride is offering them a bit of time to consider their options. The cold silence has Nikolay wondering why they would keep that secret from Hellfire. Sure, he¡¯s just a child but wouldn¡¯t it be best to have that conversation before he can watch a comrade turn into a monster?

    Shen however is wondering what he¡¯s doing meeting so many broken people. Lately they¡¯ve only heard saddening stories that could turn into something good, but don¡¯t possess enough hope to truly invoke a feeling of everything turning out fine. For now, at least the next few days, he wants to spend his time with Nikolay as a happy couple unbothered by.

    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s not ask around too much.¡±

    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t that what we came here for?¡± Nikolay is perplexed. To come this far without asking for answers to questions that have been burdening them these past few months.

    ¡°We¡¯re not getting too much out of asking questions anyway. We¡¯re still dating, you know? Or are you just with me because of your research?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Nikolay vehemently denies these claims. Though Shen is just playfully suggesting things, Nikolay is seriously panicking over being viewed as anything other than a loving boyfriend.

    ¡°I¡¯m just joking,¡± he chuckles. ¡°Let¡¯s just have more fun, okay?¡±

 Feeling Floaty

    ¡°It¡¯s 8:15¡­ I can¡¯t believe I used to wake up at six like some psycho.¡± Lying next to Nikolay¡¯s feet, he wonders how he¡¯s gotten this far in just under six months. This floatiness he¡¯s feeling as he remains exposed to the smells of foot cheese¡­ Everything still feels surreal. He has yet to get used to having someone he loves around let alone someone that reciprocates these feelings. Even if their six-week plan had gone up in flames, they had a great time together cherishing every moment.

    Shen gets out of bed sweating. Underneath these thick winter blankets he¡¯d rather wear just his underwear if even. Yet, he¡¯s delving underneath these blankets once again so he can embrace Nikolay. ¡°Kolay,¡± he says as he dozes off. Sweet dreams shower the two of them for another hour.

    Now that they¡¯re up, they¡¯re hurrying down to barely catch the breakfast menu. Both him and Nikolay don¡¯t want to start their days off with random food they picked up at a street vendor or junk food. Shen isn¡¯t a fan of the sandwiches and salads grocery stores offer either so the breakfast menu is likely his last chance when it comes to a decent breakfast. They manage to snag a table left unattended as they aren¡¯t the only people to rush down just in time for breakfast. Some are shooed away as the two of them finish their bowls of cereal and buttered bread. A family of five is angrily berating some poor woman just doing her job while another woman behind the counter is cussing them out.

    ¡°Those kinds of freakshows are everywhere, huh?¡± Shen says. He has far too much experience dealing with these kinds of dimwits. ¡°Why even bother paying for breakfast when you can¡¯t be arsed to get up in time?¡±

    ¡°Dealt with them often, right? You were pretty worked up that day.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me. I¡¯m still so embarassed about that!¡± Shen slightly squirms as he recalls an unpleasant memory. ¡°But yeah these kinds of¡­ pleasant people often caused me such grief. The worst part was dealing with them as coworkers. Such annoying dimwits as a superior still fills me with so much anger. I sometimes just feel angry randomly thinking about whatever happened at work.¡±

    ¡°That bad? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up?¡± Nikolay once again is concerned. Digging up unpleasant memories wasn¡¯t his intention.

    Shen swings his arm around Nikolay. ¡°Nothing¡¯s bad when you¡¯re around. I haven¡¯t heard too much of your own issues lately. I can¡¯t be the only one with fears and worries, right?¡±

    Nikolay still isn¡¯t quite as comfortable with any affection Shen is offerring him. Though he¡¯d like to move Shen¡¯s arm and push him off, he¡¯s also keeping him close by leaning into him. His warmth is comforting and feels safe.

    ¡°I guess there¡¯s a few things I wouldn¡¯t mind getting off my chest¡­¡±

    Heading back up, they¡¯re on their way to spend this day as just a couple relaxing in their hotel room. After airing it out, there¡¯s plenty of cold to share between the two of them. This chill makes it rather hard to keep warm in just a hoodie. They¡¯re sitting atop their bed with a chessboard untouched ever since their last game. Nikolay however has read up on the rules just last night before they went to bed.

    ¡°Over a game of chess?¡± Nikolay asks.

    ¡°Sure. Do you think you can handle a game while talking about yourself?¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Takes the pressure off things¡­¡± Nikolay moves his pawn to e4. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about demons and Dream Catchers and a lot of things have been bothering me.¡±

    Shen develops his knight onto the f6 square. ¡°Me too. A lot of things just don¡¯t feel right, don¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nikolay says as he moves another pawn. Atop the f3 square it looks like he intends to protect that lone pawn in the center. ¡°I thought finding out about the origin of demons would be some sort of huge thing that would take years to discover. Like a huge adventure¡­¡±

    ¡°But instead we just find out everyone else already knows and we¡¯re ten thousand steps behind, huh?¡± A black pawn now occupies the d5 square.

    ¡°Exactly! Then we meet these Magi that are already trying to figure out what could stop or reverse that, right? And I¡¯m just back to being stupid!¡± Nikolay mobilizes another pawn. This time it lands on the d3 square. His lack of expertise is showing.

    ¡°You¡¯re not stupid. The way you kept notes on every encounter with a demon was quite smart. Lots of people don¡¯t think and just do,¡± Shen claims as he develops his remaining knight. ¡°You¡¯re really smart for someone who doesn¡¯t seem to have a formal education.¡±

    ¡°Formal education? That much of a difference?¡± he asks. Another pawn makes its move landing atop the h3 square. ¡°Does it really make that much of a difference? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have talked you into doing whatever and quitting uni?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t talk me into anything. You helped in my decision-making! That¡¯s different.¡± Shen gently smiles as he finally utilizes another pawn. Atop the e5 square he holds solid control over the board with a small amount of developed pieces.

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely going to lose,¡± he thinks as he waits for Nikolay¡¯s next move.

    ¡°How come? I thought I was just being annoying and dramatic forcing a decision onto you.¡±

    ¡°No. If you hadn¡¯t given me that ultimatum we¡¯d probably just be unhappy or maybe even broken up already. You¡¯re kind of my life battery. I actually cut down on hours after meeting you so I could make more time for you. Around that time I also started reading books I wanted to read. If not for you, I would have just died on the inside. I already felt lifeless and hollow by the time I met you resigned to my fate. You¡¯re the reason why I can make decisions.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± He blushes as he develops another pawn. It¡¯s sitting on g4. ¡°Don¡¯t paise me that much. My head¡¯s already ballooning from arrogance. Or do you want me to float off?¡±

    ¡°Well I do feel floaty around you. So maybe you should be too,¡± Shen counters. His darl-squared bishop now lies next to one of his pawns. ¡°You¡¯re not arrogant either. I¡¯ve never heard you say anything good about yourself.¡±

    ¡°Really? Do I sound that negative?¡± He¡¯s somewhat distracted moving a knight of his in front of his king.

    Shen makes his first mistake castling a king that currently didn¡¯t need protection caught up in the conversation they¡¯re having. ¡°I¡¯m just as negative. I don¡¯t think I should be calling anyone out for that.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should just compliment each other.¡± Nikolay turns even redder as Nbc3 unfolds atop the board. ¡°Or maybe I¡¯m just getting ahead of myself?¡±

    ¡°I love your face. It¡¯s kinda round and cute.¡± Shen is boiling over with joy as his eyes aren¡¯t even on the board any more. His hands just default to moving his light-squared bishop to e6.

    ¡°Yours is kind of nice too. I could feel a little bit of stubble while we were heading up.¡± Nikolay claims his first piece. Though it is an inacuracy, exd5 secures him a pawn by use of his own.

    ¡°You think so?¡± Shen claims that pawn with a bishop. ¡°A beard or a mustache? Which do you prefer?¡±

    For some reason he moves a pawn onto b3. ¡°A stache maybe? Still want to feel your stubble and there¡¯s not much of that with a beard.¡±

    ¡°Really? You can touch my face right now. I¡¯m not going to complain if you do.¡± Shen captures that pawn with a bishop.

    Suddenly, Nikolay knocks over all the chess pieces as his lips connect with Shen¡¯s. With one hand caressing stubble and the other on Shen¡¯s shoulder, they have their first kiss. Though there still lies a bit of distance between these lovebirds, they¡¯re bridging the gap at their own pace.

 Bavariaâ€™s Hellhound: Hellfire

    Decmber 28th 2013, about two weeks after Shen had encountered Hellfire in a dream, they finally get to meet. Oddly, he seems to be the only one to recall these nightmares of solitude. It likely has something to do with him willingly partaking in them. However, instead of asking for answers, they¡¯re asking for a tour. Sending them on a happy little journey to nowhere seems appropiate. Visiting some of his favorite places and treating him to them sounds like a perfect day to a child as lonely as him. If only they could invite Bell or Calypso.

    ¡°So you two are dating? Two men?¡± he curiously asks like a child in preschool would. For his supposed age of 14, he¡¯s quite different from peers his age. Shen can¡¯t help but wonder whether or not he has hit puberty.

    ¡°Something wrong with that?¡± Nikolay asks slightly disgruntled.

    Shen squeezes his partner¡¯s hand. ¡°We are? Not a lot of that around, huh?¡±

    Hellfire shakes his head. Out in the freezing cold, they¡¯re walking along one of the city¡¯s rivers. Atop a busy stretch of street leading out of town, they finally get to the viewing spot Hellfire had promised them. These sights are surprisingly lackluster. If they had come at sunset, it would have been a beautiful sight to lay your eyes on. For now, it¡¯s just an oddly blinding river with a few quacking ducks and a deadly bed of rocks. They can barely spot the bridge parallel to the street they¡¯re standing on.

    ¡°Wrong time of the day¡­¡± Hellfire tells them dejected. He wanted a solid reason to stick around them.

    ¡°Maybe we should just check it out later?¡± Shen doesn¡¯t want to deflate Hellfire¡¯s motivation for meeting them. ¡°Anything else we can see now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± He seems hesitant, ¡°Maybe there¡¯s another place but you have to keep it a secret.¡±

    His eyes are relit with passion. There¡¯s something strange about them. Their orange glow speak of might. Before they could nod, he starts speedwalking to his secret. They keep walking along the river towards the bridge in the distance till they stop by a worn down boat.

    ¡°You can swim, right?¡± he asks expectantly. It sounds like he can. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I can¡¯t swim either!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Nikolay is concerned. Shen shrugs as the three of them get aboard. Getting atop a sketchy ride to nowhere sounds like the fun kind of mystery they were yearning for when they met.

    Shen is gripping anything with any sort of traction as he begins to regret partaking in this journey. Though, for the most part, this ride is nothing but pleasant, the occasional large rock and the mist reducing visibility down to only the members of this adventure bring uneasiness to Shen. Before long, a few lights begin to form along the river.

    ¡°What are these lights?¡± Shen grows even more concerned. He¡¯s starting to spot faint figures holding onto torches.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! They¡¯re kind people!¡± Hellfire is waving at them as a few lights wave back.

    The mist begins to disperse revealing a small pier. The lights that had travelled alongside them have vanished. Their arrival is as pleasant as the ride itself as Shen¡¯s uncertainty begins to falter. Now that they¡¯re at their destination, they look back onto the large lake behind them. The german river that had carried them to this snowborne sensation ends in a lake detached from the real world. Normally, travelling on this river would merge with another river and reach the sea after a long journey. The three of them somehow were propelled upriver as if the river¡¯s flow had reversed. They never reached the bridge their boat pointed to nor did they reach any other landmarks that could have determined their position in Germany.

    Atop the new land of mystery is a large lodge blocking their pathway. They look onto the lake one final time spotting lights wandering about or departing on their own vessels into the unknown. Whether they do or do not belong to the hooded figures they had spotted just a few minutes ago cannot be determined. Their route back home is likely the same river that had lead them here.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head inside!¡± Hellfire pushes his way inside along with Nikolay and Shen. This large lodge is a homely one tended to with care. Illuminated by lanterns hanging from ceilings and torches fixed onto walls, they are met with many people of many different builds.

    ¡°Are those¡­ Dream Catchers?¡± Nikolay already knows the answer to his question. They¡¯re located somewhere which is neither earth nor a domain. It¡¯s another world hosting otherworldly beings out of fiction and fantasy. The first person to talk to them is a young woman certainly above six feet with long white hair. Along with her hair portrude two almost ribbon-like strands of red.

    ¡°Finn? What are you doing here?¡± she asks in english. Patting him on the head, they seem quite familiar.

    ¡°An aquaitance?¡± Nikolay looks unimpressed.

    ¡°Kiana! So you¡¯re trustworthy? Interested in exploring the Otherworld?¡± Otherworld? They¡¯ve never heard of such a thing. To be met with a vast world that is easily accessible to theirs sounds inconceivable. ¡°Or are they just trying to wander into some ruined homeworlds?¡±

    ¡°Otherworld? Ruined? What are you-¡±

    A slug-like beast lays a hand on Kiana¡¯s shoulder as if to tell her that she¡¯s said enough. Wearing only a vest, a tanktop, and a plaid skirt, it slithers along like an obese snake with four arms. Its two antennae along with the snakey eyes make for an interesting visual. With teeth sharp enough to cut and sever and a slithery tongue mobile enough to pull off all kinds of tricks, it seems likely that it can do a lot of damage to the average person.

    ¡°Even Finn isn¡¯t tattling about ruining the surprise! Contain yourself!¡± His words are relayed by use of telepathy. The slight glow of his antennae indicate when they can converse with each other by mind.

    ¡°You two! Venture out enjoy yourselves!¡± He gifts Nikolay and Shen each a pouch full of strange coins clinking and clanking with his webbed hands. Without introducing himself he slithers away to a counter serving about a dozen customers.

    Only now do the two of them truly digest the atmosphere. Many humanoids are seated dining and wining among many different species. What brings them here and how they even got here is a mystery the two of them have yet to uncover.

    ¡°Finn?¡± Nikolay asks as Shen is still marvelling at the lodge.

    ¡°You can be anyone here. It¡¯s not our world! Kiana and Finn are just our identities here.¡± Hellfire begins to run off. ¡°When the third bell tolls you have to get back here, alright? Until then!¡±

    The round tables of otherworldy guests offer plenty of noise. The other end of the lodge bears two shelves located right next to the door. Since they¡¯re entirely clueless, they¡¯ll have to start off by asking around.

 Pathway to the Otherworld: Path of the FreischÃ¼tz

    This book of untranslated wonders is now within the hands of Nikolay and Shen helping them navigate this strange world. It¡¯s incredibly strange just how foreign yet familiar it all feels. Another planet with breathable air and harsh winter conditions is the familiar part. The humanoid beings out of fantasy worlds feel strange. They¡¯ve come across demons and Dream Catchers, yet this feels far less real. They have yet to uncover the aspects of this world that will shatter their views.

    ¡°Awfully nice of them to include a map and everything,¡± he says with as much sarcasm as he can muster. ¡°All these magical things and still no translator.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Hellfire can navigate this world seemingly without issue. Two grown men should be capable of that!¡± Shen is quick to dismiss Nikolay. ¡°This is the closest thing we¡¯ll get to an unexplored wonderworld. Make use of that chance!¡±

    This blistering cold is keeping their hands apart. Yet, despite that, Nikolay lightly leans towards Shen as they awkwardly shuffle through the snow. They are new to the concept of relationships. Neither have had too much time to consider what that may entail.

    ¡°Any exes?¡± Nikolay asks as he realigns himself to walk normally. Shen doesn¡¯t quite grasp what Nikolay means. ¡°Any ex-boyfriends? Or girlfriends?¡± His eyes are constantly shifting away waiting for an answer.

    ¡°Well¡­ there was this one time¡­¡± Nikolay cannot believe what he¡¯s hearing. Aghast, shocked, and befuddled he has a short moment wherein he¡¯s facially lost his composure. Shen begins to laugh as he pulls in Nikolay. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I¡¯ve dated so far and I don¡¯t want to change that.¡±

    ¡°Awfully honest, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± Nikolay¡¯s attempt to gain the upper hand doesn¡¯t have quite as much effect as he thought it would. Shen however isn¡¯t completely unaffected. That attempt at brushing off Nikolay¡¯s jeers was supposed to lead into a cocky rebuttal. Yet all Shen could do was utter a one-word-answer.

    As they walk towards their destination, they gaze at the unlit shops, storefronts, and stalls unattended. No one seems to fear any kind of theft as the attendees and owners just prance around at what seems to be community hour. Most are huddled up in the cabin that connects to this pair¡¯s home world or standing at the one bar, and the only restaurant still open to customers. Since they don¡¯t have it in them to impose on the merry ways of this foreign occasion, they continue dragging themselves towards their goal.

    A lonely man past his prime is walking home struggling to wad through snow. Every once in a while he¡¯d stumble and trip. Hunched over with a walking stick in hand, he is heading straight towards what seems to be an abandoned home. Worn down, dark, and gloomy¡­ nothing speaks of an invitation for this man covered in cloth from head to toe. The wooden horns sprouting from his forehead feel like more of an ominous infestation rather than a quirk of his.

    As Shen walks towards the old man, Nikolay spouts, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy on that. Ignore him.¡±

    Shen is taken aback by the sudden hostility. He decides to just dwell on it for the time being and help the old man back up. The man whispers in some sort of tongue ineligible not only to Shen but also many others. The moment he¡¯s back on his feet, he pushes Shen. This old man¡¯s strength could only force Shen into stumbling.

    ¡°Fucker! No wonder you¡¯re a decrepit old fuck with no family!¡± Nikolay shouts as he pushes the old man.

    Shen pulls Nikolay away and drags him to their destination as the few onlookers laugh and cheer at this scene. This place suddenly has its own air of darkness shrouding Nikolay once again. It has happened before when they faced Two-Faced. Believing Nikolay to be under some sort of spell similar to the one Two-Faced had put him under, Shen is forcing them to sit down not too far off from the scene that had just occured.

    Shen slaps Nikolay. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you??¡±

    ¡°Huh?! Fucker deserves to die! That¡¯s-¡± He comes to a sudden halt. Utter hatred on this level for just one man is ridiculous. Realizing that he¡¯s full of animosity due to some magical circumstances, he waits a few moments to compose himself.

    ¡°This place is¡­ unique. You¡¯re not sensing any demons, right?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Nikolay takes a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. I¡­¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Shen holds him tight. It was supposed to be a fun little adventure that would last for not even half day. Now they¡¯re exploring with mental turmoil and great fear of whatever lies hidden within the fabrics of this world. After a short moment of recuperation they finally come across the library, the place of answers they¡¯ve been yearning after. Now that they¡¯re facing the library in person, they can¡¯t help but wonder why they ever believed it to be a library.

    ¡°It¡¯s a stupid church. A church!¡± Nikolay has come this far for nothing. Once again time feels wasted on what feels like absolutely nothing.

    ¡°Are you still feeling weird or do you just have some sort of problem with the church?¡±

    ¡°Nope¡­¡± he says with his hands covering his eyes. He faces upwards in frustration like a toddler. ¡°Just not a fan of them.¡±

    The entrance they¡¯re faced with bears a grand gate typical of german churches yet there are minor differences in signage and design that lets the gate stand out. Several lions are trying to canibalize on a sun as they are errupting into flames. They¡¯re helpless when faced with the scorching sun even as carved imagery.

    ¡°We¡¯ve seen these lions before in your magazines, right?¡± Shen asks. Maybe answers do lie within this church. The library was marked with an open book atop the map yet they¡¯re met with a church.

    ¡°Alchemy. Something about desire dissolving consciousness¡­ heard a few things about madness and the like too¡­¡±

    They head in even more intrigued than before as the first bell rings reminding them of the limited time they possess. Right next to the entrance, lined up to the cold walls somewhat aged by the flow of time, are an enormous amount of books they ought to check out first. The hall they¡¯ve walked into bears shelves instead of the usual seating arrangements. It¡¯s echoey, cold, and feels incredible hollow and empty.

    ¡°Creepy¡­¡± Nikolay gazes at the lone librarian at her post. Her eyes are constantly tailing the pair. Her long white hair is almost blinding. Her skin is of a slightly darker complexion. Shen can almost match her. She¡¯s just resting atop her throne barefeet in a fluttery dress. Before they could even attempt to look for clues, the librarian points at a book prompting it to shine in pure white.

    Shen nods and dislodges it from its shelf. Her eyes do feel imposing as if she¡¯s prying him open to judge his character. Finally, they¡¯re met with an accurate translation. Though it is in english, there¡¯s nothing a former university student and an explorer into the occult cannot surmise by context clues.

    ¡°It¡¯s so thick! Read it!¡± Nikolay is awfully excited. ¡®Awful¡¯ and ¡®Exciting¡¯ are fitting words for what they¡¯re about to delve into. Several pathstriders of a civilization long gone have written various letters, diaries, eulogies, and the like. They were translated to highest attainable authenticity to capture the unfiltered thoughts and feelings that were supposed to be felt by reading these grand historical documents by mediation.

    One chapter focuses entirely on the short diary entry of a man that had come to this world after the death of his brother:

    ¡°It¡¯s no my fault that you¡¯re dead. You don¡¯t get to look up at me from the deepest pits of Inferno chastising me for surviving. You¡¯re a shitty husband, a shitty father, a shitty son, and the worst brother I could have had!

    When I told you that we can leave and survive without homeworld, you just sat there and talked about wandering across the empty plains ravaged by Silence. No life survived on that plain and the unfortunate souls that were ignorant of its danger never survived past its boundry. Your foolhardy claims of the Swarm¡¯s survival atop the plain as some sort of outlandish reason why you could possibly survive¡­ Of course I¡¯d beat some sense into you! Let¡¯s not even speak of the Startruck Coast you wanted to sail off of!

    You spoke of respecting your wife¡¯s wishes by visiting all the tourist spots that are long gone. Am I waltzing around in warzones playing tag with the Mass of the Disjointed? No you incestous freak! She¡¯d reel at the image of you wandering around on this doomed world even after becoming one of the Disjointed. She¡¯d die of shame had she known the proper man she had married turned out to be an idiot off his rocker falling apart the moment he¡¯s met with hardship.

    I can still (scribles that couldn¡¯t be transliterated, translated) ¡­your strength for little Aisha. I cannot imagine myself handling the loss a child. Lilliana could only handle one daughter. Her body wasn¡¯t fit for more and the miscarriages prior to that were cruel. Aisha brought so much light into your eyes. I should have handled mother while you were grieving but instead you decided to be a caretaker again after having just lost everything you cared for.

    The Days of Decay were particularly hard on you and I¡¯m sorry for being as harsh as I was(crossed out by the author) such a hardass. But you have to understand that someone has to push you! You can¡¯t fall apart now. Someone has to keep us going. You will eventually realize that mother¡¯s death was sad but still was something we could have survived. We just had to survive.

    We just had to survive but you didn¡¯t. I hate you for dying. I hate you for losing that light in your eyes! All I asked of you was to be dumb and curious. I would have handled the rest.

    Had I been a better brother, maybe you wouldn¡¯t have hung yourself.¡±

    Shortly after writing this entry, the author had wandered off into the wildnerness never to be heard of again. Theses sorts of tragedies, these kinds of horrors afflict all permanent residents of this strange world. If they hadn¡¯t personally faced these horrors, their ancestors had. Their world¡¯s of origin have perished.

 Unlimited Histories of the Otherworld

    ¡°There¡¯s no place we can go to that isn¡¯t full of tragedy, is there? Dream Catchers, Otherworlds, day to day lives¡­ Nothing we explore-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Shen is quick to claw away at these thoughts. ¡°If that were true, I¡¯d be just as miserable as I was just a year ago! Not even!¡±

    They¡¯ve come across countless stories with incredibly discouraging despair but their story has been mostly hopeful. They have met each other, made a few friends, and dragged themselves out of not so fortunate lives. They¡¯re not alone anymore and have a bunch of people to fall back on.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Nikolay hesitates, flustered. ¡°We¡¯re in a library. We shouldn¡¯t be shouting.¡±

    The librarian slowly steps towards them with her eyes closed yet still skillfully avoidin any obstacle. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for something more hopeful, you should check out the history of Demeter, the continent you¡¯re standing on.¡± She walks back towards her throne.

    As suggested, Shen skips to the last few chapters concerning only the history of this wonderworld. Its start may have been far more grim, but its future is looking hopeful.

    ¡°Corpus Dei is a planet ruled by the divine. Gods of lesser and higher magnitude roam this planet ruling over mankind and all life as a whole. It once was a barren world scorched to the ground. Now its lushness and diversity is as great as the number of stars hovering above its nightsky.

    The seven known continents, though they aren¡¯t much of a united front, exist in harmony with relatively minor scuffles among them. This continent, Demeter, is believed to be the northernmost one leading to and from worlds of mankind by travelling along the Styx.¡±

    ¡°Maybe because it¡¯s the end of this world? Kinda like the edge?¡± Nikolay seems to be in higher spirits. ¡°Not in a literal way¡­ obviously.¡±

    ¡°It is the northernmost continent, so that could be the case¡­¡±

    ¡°Well either way, the northernmost continent Demeter lies in possession of Boreas who ultimately leads over the populace along with his brothers Zephyr, Notus, and Eurus. His calm and collected might is unlike the childish and bothersome behaviors he displayed when he used to live on his homeworld. According to the first habitants of this continent, his tantrums would alter history. A long forgotten race would plead for his aid to sink ships at sea with his harsh winds. His might is respnsible for the cold climate sweeping over the mountainous land of Vuno.¡±

    Shen flips past a few pages trying to spot any kind of geographical details that would expand on Demeter or the mountainous land of Vuno. For now, he¡¯ll just have to settle with basic trivia.

    ¡°And?¡±

    Shen clears his throat.

    ¡°And¡­¡± He grunts. ¡°Zephyr holds dominion over Lepidoptera/Lepis, an elongated state housing most of Demeters population due to the rich and fertile plains bordering Vuno. His winds are often seen carrying many travellers on the cusp of death down to the gentler lands. According to local legends, he long ago had a golden mane until he lost another loved one. Ever since, the land supposedly is less bountiful. Vuno still remains as the most beloved nation atop Demeter due to its gentle beauty.¡±

    ¡°A lost loved one¡­ Hyacinth?¡± Nikolay has just a few theories zooming past each other as turbulent thoughts.

    ¡°Another myth you¡¯ve had your eyes on?¡± Shen, as always, seems surprised at Nikolay¡¯s bottomless well of knowledge on spiritual beliefs.

    ¡°They¡¯re just the Anemoi. Four greek wind gods with seasons attached to them¡­¡± He¡¯s somewhat puzzled. ¡°But I don¡¯t get why all these myths are here. Did they spill into our world from here or the other way around.¡±

    Nikolay rips the book out of Shen¡¯s hands skimming over its contents.

    ¡°See! Notus, only ever mentioned in tandem with Zephyrus and Boreas; until recent history not of much¡­ importance? Set fire to the plains of Lepis? What?¡± The claims in these texts grow more and more outlandish picturing how much of a fire-setting fiend this Notus is believed to be. People all over Demeter seem to dislike him.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Nikolay continues reading out loud. ¡°These gods each have their own spots of holy land not to be stepped on unless ordered to¡­¡±

    Shen and Nikolay realize that these gods are far more than myth and legend. They¡¯re real tangible beings with their very own outposts. What they intially believed to be beliefs harbored by locals with far more primitive technology now feels true and genuine with little doubt. These doubts should have arisen the moment they came across the humanoids enjoying their day in a cozy fantasy cabin or when they were met with physical books seemingly printed like one would in the modern world.

    ¡°Eurus is a lone god whose existence is often debated even among the people he supposedly resides over. As the true ruler of the lone island nation stuck in perpetual decay, the few that do believe in him only decry his lack of action. Presiding over A¨¹?erst, he not only commands the smallest nation but also the least populous one. Many flee to Sirius, the nation of Notus, wherein they are forbidden of speaking of their lackluster god.¡±

    Eurus seems to be as present as he was in mythology with no indicators of deviation from their homeworld¡¯s myth. The fact that people debate his existence feels even more mindboggling to the pair.

    ¡°These past ten days he¡¯s barred anyone from stepping onto his land¡­¡± Suddenly, a freckled stranger is talking to them in perfect german somehow having crept up on them while they were reading. ¡°Oh I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m Fern. I¡¯m not speaking your language. I just have the power to understand and make others understand what I¡¯m saying.¡±

    ¡°Woah! So, do you always use that to creep people out or are just fucking with us?¡± Nikolay is quick to cast sass after experiencing the shock of his life.

    ¡°Zip it. We can actually talk to someone here. Don¡¯t waste that chance.¡± Shen is intrigued yet the first thing he has to do is strike down any sort of hostility Nikolay exudes.

    They step outside to avoid any possible altercations that may occur with the librarian due to talking within her library.

    ¡°Sunny and Selen¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of such names before. My home planet is quite monotone in diversity so your names would strike me as odd.¡±

    The second bell tolls signaling that this conversation won¡¯t last for long.

    ¡°You look worried. Do you need to go somewhere?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be back at that lodge when the third bell tolls. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to cut this conversation short. We can only spare a few more minutes until we have to head home,¡± Shen says. ¡°So you¡¯re just another visitor? You¡¯re not from here, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep! The only redhead you¡¯ll find on Demeter! Been travelling with random strangers here and there but nothing that lasts for more than a few years.¡±

    ¡°A few?¡± Nikolay asks. ¡°How long have you been around?¡±

    ¡°I travelled around my planet from when I was 16 to 19. Then I managed to get an Astral Station working and travelled to a world ravaged by Walpurgis. Another ride got me to a world that was just about to end to The End. And from there I made it here with smaller trips to be a hero and all that. Should be 35 on my homeplanet.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t make sense of anything you just said.¡± Nikolay is confused just as much as Shen is.

    ¡°Point is, she travelled far and wide and happened to meet us, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡± Since he can¡¯t make much sense of it, Shen just boils it down to whatever they can grasp. A one word answer is all she can offer in return likely incapable of explaining her experiences in her own words.

    ¡°What are you planning to do for like the next year? Any plans? Anything you¡¯re dealing with?¡±

    ¡°We have a few things on our bucket list, but-¡±

    ¡°A bucket list isn¡¯t enough. I¡¯ve decided that I¡¯ll travel with you! Be ready by then!¡± With haste she straps some sort of gadget around Shen¡¯s arm. It displays a countdown that she has somehow tweaked to adjust to his understanding of numbers and the like.

    ¡°Until then! If I don¡¯t show up, I¡¯m dead! If you don¡¯t show up, I¡¯ll just leave without you.¡± She runs off towards the lodge as if they weren¡¯t heading the same direction.

    ¡°Why would we want to travel with you?¡± Nikolay asks himself half-expecting an answer from Shen.

    ¡°Why not? We¡¯ve come across far more suspicious figures. And we have a deadline of 400 days. Like 13 months! Let¡¯s at least think about it, okay?¡±

    On December 28th 2013, Nikolay and Shen came across an odd redhead who has explored many different worlds. 400 days later they shall reunite after finding answers to most of their questions. February 1st 2015 will be the day of reunion. Whether they can accomplish everything they¡¯ve sought out to is up to the two of them. Even if they come across countless hardships and unmeasurable pain, like this continent, hope will follow as will their grand adventure into a mythical world.

 Devil

    ¡°Resolutions? They always felt kind of stupid. Never really made a lot of sense to me if I was just going to fail them seven days in.¡± Nikolay and Shen, with the final hour of 2013 drawing closer, are thinking of any goals they absolutely want to accomplish aside from their bucket list.

    Shen himself has never had any positive things to say about these kinds of things. He never saw any merit to hopeful goals since they¡¯d likely be stifled by his environment anyway. At some point he simply stopped thinking about the years ahead.

    ¡°Come on! They¡¯re fun! It¡¯s not like you have to adhere to them.¡± Nikolay however, hopelessly, seems to list quite a few of them every year breaking not just one but all of them. His written list of them, even though they encompass only the past two years, is five pages long.

    ¡°Figuring our whatever that crystal stuff is?¡±

    ¡°NO! You¡¯re naming goals! Something you care a little less about please.¡±

    Shen struggles to come up with some sort of answer that may satisfy his patner. Anything likely would be fine by Nikolay¡¯s standards but Shen¡¯t ever be too sure. ¡°For you to initiate another kiss,¡± Shen jeers. Asking for the impossible¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re too ugly to kiss anyway!¡± Nikolay yells storming off beetred.

    Since they have one last supply run to deal with, Nikolay heads out in preparation for tonight. Meanwhile, Shen is getting ready to get out of bed. It¡¯s strange how this pair can sleep next to each other and cuddle while being incapable of a simple peck on the cheek or a kiss. It¡¯s endearing. It¡¯s also frustrating. Yet it¡¯s also comforting. And Shen is just as guilty of that inability as Nikolay.

    ¡°Does he keep track of every little thing?¡±

    <hr>

    ¡°I thought I was the weird one¡­¡± Nikolay is walking around town trying to find some firecrackers and fireworks. Since it¡¯s still quite early in the morning, he might be lucky enough to avoid most frantic shopees.

    The night they met Shen was carelessly whisped away by Nikolay ready to embrace death were he to hit the ground. He should have died anyway by ascending at such a fast pace. Nikolay wasn¡¯t going to let it happen anyway but since his boyfriend was unaffected by it, he just continued. A few months later Shen would awaken to powers possibly triggered by his encounter with Sandman and would dream of a strange figure that lies in wait of liberation.

    ¡°I guess he¡¯s always been the weirdo. Does he still want to fly? Are we still trying to figure out what happened to me?¡±

    Nikolay reflects back onto the past two years of his life. Summer of 2013 he met Shen, a random student attending uni with an exhausting job constantly demanding he work overtime. He¡¯s technically the reason why he currently has neither living with someone whose income isn¡¯t stable.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Did I make him even weirder? Family that won¡¯t support him¡­ So I went ahead and ruined it by taking his income and his chance at a degree.¡±

    These past few months, though overall far greater and fulfilling than ever before, have forced him into facing some sort of dread he can¡¯t quite define. Demons aren¡¯t these magical creatures that attack people. Dream Catchers are sad collectives whose past and future is bleak. The unexplored worlds he wanted to map out either are hardly accessible, do not exist, or bear tragic histories. Yet, despite that darkness, he¡¯s still strangely hopeful. He may be facing these harsh truths, but he¡¯s not facing them alone. He may be weak but can find strength in their connection.

    ¡°Would you mind coming with me?¡± A strange woman with bags full of fireworks is facing Nikolay. Her eyes are white with black stars at their center. Nikolay and that stranger share similarities he cannot ignore.

    ¡°We¡¯re just taking a walk. I¡¯m not a threat to you.¡±

    Nikolay keeps walking towards his destination matching her pace. They¡¯ve never met yet she seems familiar.

    ¡°Have we-¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a demon,¡± she says without a hint of emotion. Cold and unbothered, she interjects. ¡°You¡¯re more than that. You¡¯re a half-assed devil who¡¯s growing weaker. Your dark magic production is pathetic. You can¡¯t even compare to Toba and other notable demons let alone match up to a devil.¡±

    She sighs. ¡°You probably don¡¯t know how to make money either. Just visit Ace Base and figure it out from there. Your Vambrance should tell you anything you need to know.¡±

    She walks away after dumping crucial information he¡¯s been looking for for two years. It¡¯s a decent starting point yet he cannot care about this revelation. Right now he¡¯s emotionally drained and just looking forward to a decent night with Shen and a handful of others. Not even an ounce of energy remains for anything more complex than 3rd grade math.

    Upon returning home he¡¯s greeted with a kiss and immediately reciprocates with a hug. His stress bursts and his emotional valve opens after not even an hour of being closed off.

    <hr>

    ¡°Again??¡± Shen is shocked. Every little thing they¡¯ve figured out so far fell into their hands without consideration for their feelings. It¡¯s cruel and strange just how intent the universe is to take the joy out of any mystery they come across. Settling with their lack of knowledge as people waltz around knowing the answer to every single mystery is hard.

    ¡°I hate her so much!¡± He screams into Shen¡¯s lap as he throws a tantrum. Surprisingly he still fetched their clearly much-needed holiday supplies. ¡°And no amount of alcohol can get me wasted!!¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ At least we confirmed that you¡¯re a demon.¡± For Shen it was a little more obvious.

    ¡°Confirmed? You knew?¡± he asks pouting.

    ¡°You leech off of people¡¯s negative energy to recover, remember? Like a demon? You also had a truce with a demon and communicated with some of them, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Looking back, many facts were laid out to them. Their human origin, the names only Nikolay could see, the classifications he alone could sense, his ability to peacefully communicate with some of them¡­ They can¡¯t be ever be too sure which one of these stems from his nature.

    ¡°But hey! At least you¡¯re practically immortal!¡± Shen adds.

    ¡°How? I¡¯m a devil. I don¡¯t know if I have a Devil Seed.¡± Nikolay replies.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on fireworks and celebrations.¡± Just one more day before they¡¯re home.

 Blessings illuminating the nightsky

    ¡°So you¡¯re heading back already?¡± Faced with Hellfire¡¯s disappointment, they can¡¯t help but wonder whether they should remain a little longer. At least, now that they have his phone number and his address, they can remain in contact.

    ¡°We have a few things we ought to take care of. Don¡¯t worry. Next time we¡¯ll stay a little longer,¡± Shen says. He can¡¯t help but pat Hellfire. Even now he can¡¯t help but feel like there¡¯s something odd about this child.

    ¡°Stop sulking! You can visit us, right?¡± Nikolay is far less considerate. ¡°I can feel that negativity! It¡¯s so massive demons would love to gobble you up.¡±

    Hellfire suddenly jumps. A revelation perhaps?

    ¡°You can see dark magic?? Can you take it too? I need some help!¡±

    As the final hours of the year approach, Hellfire is practing his craft within his very own domain. It is incredibly radiant despite its hollowness. The skyscrapers atop this sunscorched land are falling apart. Cracked roads and dead plants decorate the surface. A few animals turned into ashy husks with a webbed texture. A countless mass of people are standing on the streets just as hollow as these animals. They¡¯re just as hollow and empty as everything else. The only things that differentiate them are their forms of prayer. Each and every single one of them faced the sun within the last few moments of their life.

    ¡°Are these people¡­?¡± Nikolay asks. It¡¯s a horrific site to come upon.

    ¡°They remind me of that contemporary witness we read about,¡± Shen replies

    ¡°Contemporary witness?¡± Hellfire asks. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He¡¯s completely unbothered and unaffected by the scenery.

    ¡°What did you need help with?¡± Shen asks.

    Hellfire begins to manifest flames within the palms of his hand. His eyes gain a crimson glow as the fire grows. A volatile firestorm is nested between his palms reshaping itself into an arrow along with a mighty bow. Suddenly, the flames turn purple erupting into a small explosion burning his face along with his hands. For just a few seconds, seconds that felt like an eternity, both Nikolay and Shen remain motionless. Since neither are facing him, they can¡¯t be too sure how much suffering he¡¯s in. Deafening silence, howling winds¡­

    ¡°See!¡± Hellfire says as he turns around. His face is scarred but healing. Just a few seconds later he¡¯s back in top shape.

    ¡°Did you see anything out of the ordinary?¡± Shen asks unwilling to adress what this child had just done onto itself.

    Nikolay takes a closer look at Hellfire and falls back onto his feet.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Hellfire asks.

    Shen lifts his partner back up. He¡¯s trying to keep calm in front of Hellfire but everything here is just creeping them out.

    ¡°That damn Fusion had less dark magic than you do! You feeding on demons or something??¡±

    Dark magic is raging within him. An abundance of darkness powerful enough to poison the populace of a small city is nested deep within his body.

    ¡°Can you help?¡± He¡¯s innocently expecting aid from the two of them.

    Nikolay places his hand on Hellfire¡¯s chest. He recoils after just a few seconds of contact almost falling off the building they¡¯re standing on. Such abundance seems dangerous even to a devil. He¡¯s even paler than usual. Yet he doesn¡¯t look unhealthy. Nikolay jumps back onto his feet with great vigor.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, handsome! Wasn¡¯t expecting that, huh?¡±

    Hellfire however is calmer than usual. He¡¯s far more relaxed and composed than usual. His eyes glow again with a new hue reminiscent of sunsets. The emerging flames are calm and far kinder than their predecessors. Their brilliance is far more vibrant and varied. Heat surges and sears as Shen begins to sweat.

    ¡°Look! It¡¯s happening!¡± He finally fires an arrow towards the distance. Before it can make contact with anything, the arrow erupts into a massive explosion almost blowing Shen off the building while causing those closer to ground zero to collapse or burn.

    Hellfire jumps up down giggling to himself as he pulls off what he¡¯s been practing for so long.

    ¡°Woah! Another one! Another one!¡± Nikolay adds.

    Meanwhile, Shen is trying to catch his breath wishing they were home instead of in this suntouched hell. ¡°Can we do anything else. Teach him how to control those dark flames or something. Sweating in the winter feels wrong.¡±

    For now, they¡¯ll put this little experiment on hold. Directly syphoning off of people instead of just from the general vicinity seems new. They haven¡¯t made a lot of new discoveries when it comes to their limits in what feels like forever even though it happened not even a month ago.

    With the night coming to a close, they have to prepare a feast within Hellfire¡¯s shabby little house in the middle of nowhere. It¡¯s a nice gathering of six outcasts connected by their oddities and shared histories of darkness. This final night of the year they¡¯re trying to leave all that had brought them suffering behind. Shen¡¯s lack of autonomy, Nikolay¡¯s loneliness and innocence, Hellfire¡¯s solitude, Elena¡¯s grief¡­ They can¡¯t promise it will amount to anything but they can try.

    ¡°Brownies, fried rice, the few meat scraps we could gather, storebought cake, all kinds of veggies on the side, filets and filets strips, a few sweet things from the bakery,¡± Nikolay says. ¡°Who¡¯s supposed to eat all that?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ maybe¡­¡± Hellfire stammers. ¡°Maybe a few more might show up!¡±

    ¡°And if they don¡¯t, we¡¯ll just dine till we can¡¯t walk!¡± The last time Shen had any liquor, he was well reserved and hated it yet today he¡¯ll let loose like never before. The fact that none of it burns and all of it is sweet hand-picked deliciousness he can tolerate.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only had one drink though, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me yet.¡± Consolation for the hangover to come.

    Their first guest finally arrives. Nikolay and Shen hadn¡¯t met them yet, but Hellfire seems to be well-aquainted with them. Their neverending hug at least indicates that.

    ¡°Luca! Where have you been? Is Aqua coming too?? She was with you, right?!¡±

    ¡°Not yet. But she¡¯s coming soon,¡± Luca replies. ¡°She might stay for a while!¡±

    They¡¯re excitedly hugging as they jump and frolic about. Luca seems a little older embodying the age of 14 far more than Hellfire did.

    ¡°Luca is a prodigy prodigy! Aqua says I¡¯m talented but he¡¯s super talented!!¡± Hellfire claims. Boasting about his close friend has him brimming with joy. Nikolay can spot the dark magic within Hellfire growing restful condensing into a darker yet smaller mass. Shen secretly sneaks in another drink.

    ¡°Yes! I! Am!¡± he yells letting the praise get to his head. ¡°A grand illusionist that can decide the luck of all! On an expedition to a world beyond untouched by man! Praise my might!¡±

    Not long after the end of their charades, Elena and Prometheia arrive joining their lovely gathering. After a long meal with too many delicacies to enjoy, they¡¯re hearded outside by Hellfire and Nikolay. They have a little show to present to them.

    Luca twirls around on the spot with his hands shaped into a half-sphere. Hellfire, with a loud bang, begins his ascent along. Nikolay¡¯s wings blow past them with a torch in hand and the mightiest swoosh. Flickers and shine are lightly illuminating this rather dark nightsky blinded by clouds. Right now, the only thing that matters, is this insignificant space unlit and untouched by the surrounding world.

    A loud bang and several flickers of color! One, two, three, four, five lights popped into being.

    Fireworks erupt and hiss with a sudden assault to the senses outside of view. Their gate is tippy taps to the source of the original explosion amassing into a flower of color pompoms.

    Lines form all around the perimeter blasting their eardrums to bits and pieces. Not one, two, or three¡­ Five minutes of festive explosions light up the universe as far as the eye can see before finally coming to a halt. Silence¡­

    ¡­and one mighty halo of fire appears above their heads gifting radiance. A nightmarish skull of blood wears its halo with terror as both fade into oblivion.

    Only now do they experience the measly fireworks of the common people as Nikolay and Hellfire touch ground. This year has ended with a bang marking a new age for this reborn couple. May they blessed with colorful adventures and a joyful life!

 Bucketlist of Our Homeworld: A Year of Earthly Adventures

    Bonk. Nikolay is crushed beneath a massive weight. Their train has come to a halt. Exhaustion is gnawing at him. Shen is leaning onto Nikolay as their train has finally come to a halt. Just one more transfer and two hours of train rides until they¡¯re home resting within their beds.

    ¡°Last stop?¡± Shen asks waking from his slumber. His head just collided with Nikolay¡¯s.

    As the last couple to leave the train they barely make it in time for their connecting train. In just two and a half hours they¡¯ll be back home in bed shortly before midnight. They¡¯re exhausted yet relieved. Finally crossing Elena and Hellfire off their bucket list is reassuring. Even that mysterious woman of revelations doesn¡¯t seem like a person they need to investigate. They can find answers elsewhere. For now, rest is all they need. There¡¯s no need for a huge adventure.

    After a few days of rest, pondering how they ought to live this year, they¡¯re facing another demon, a final reminder of the dangers they¡¯re about to face for the year. Someone had left them a note in their mailbox. Little is known about the demon itself only detailing immense speed and agility.

    ¡°It¡¯s been speeding throughout the city slaughtering rookies and unaware civilians while we were gone. On day four veterans tried to chase after it. Today they¡¯re begging you to find it,¡± Shen states. It doesn¡¯t sound particularly powerful. Perhaps he can try catching up to it.

    ¡°Would you mind¡­?¡± Nikolay is trying to convey something rather abhorrent. Again. They¡¯ve been here before.

    ¡°Are you seriously asking me to be bait again?¡± Shen asks. ¡°You can¡¯t just locate it and have someone else deal with it? Or just do it yourself? You should be pretty fast!¡±

    ¡°My max speed¡¯s not even 10% of Mach 1. Pinheads speedier than yours truly couldn¡¯t catch it,¡± Nikolay says. ¡°I¡¯ve got a foolproof plan anyway. Come on!¡±

    Now that they¡¯re facing it, with his fancy gauntlets, with his diversion disgruntled, they¡¯re staring this pitiful creature down. This creature may be small and hunched over on all fours, but it¡¯s from is formidable. Butterfly knives replace its arms yet it still possesses hands to strike people with. With springs for legs it¡¯s not all that hard to imagine how it managed to escape capture or death.

    Shen nods and Nikolay takes off. This domain of comically huge knives and lit cigarettes is rather dim. This demon, Masked Fool, is bouncing off of the many objects scattered throughout the domain and air. This fearless speedy creature is heading straight for Nikolay.

    ¡°Woah!¡± he yells as he barely ducks in time to evade decapitation. His forehead was slashed creating a line of blood trickling down his face.

    Two knives whir past him. Blood floods his mouth. Bitter and acrid is the aftertaste of the knive. Pain has yet to curse through his body.Stolen novel; please report.

    Now he¡¯s face to face with its hand as it slams him into ground with a massive cigarette in its other hand. Suddenly, both of its arms come off before it could burn him.

    Meanwhile Shen is just watching two figures in the distance clash and diverge again and again. With a blood spike hidden in his mouth, he¡¯s waiting for some sort of sign or for their foe to approach them. He opens his mouth just in case anything were to go awry. Keeping it open and pointing in its general direction should be far safer for him.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t I supposed to be bait? Why¡¯s he-¡±

    A hand. A hand is about to make contact with his face. The projectile atop his tongue has vanished along with the beast. It has been replaced by another crystal blocking his view. Calcite is portruding out of the ground skewering the demon. A circular hole has nested itself into Masked Fool¡¯s head.

    <hr>

    ¡°Addressing our first priority on our bucketlist!¡± Nikolay is shouting with a few notes in his hand. ¡°Those ridiculous powers of yours!¡±

    Shen is lying on their couch exhausted just waiting for Nikolay to quiet down. ¡°How? Touching all kinds of stupid crystals?¡±

    ¡°Yes! The more expensive, the better!¡±

    First and foremost is figuring out what may trigger these growths and just how limited Shen¡¯s reserves are. His output isn¡¯t consistent. His crystals have manifested differently each time. His trigger isn¡¯t necessarily danger or at least not limited to it. As soon as he¡¯s capable of using his powers, Shen can be of even greater help to Nikolay¡¯s battles.

    ¡°And who¡¯s supposed to pay for that? I can¡¯t deal with any shitty full-time jobs right now.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Ace Base! The Devil Seeds I used to trade with Ruben!¡± he yells a little more reserved. It¡¯s a fresh wound he hasn¡¯t quite processed yet.

    Both seem like proper venues worth exploring. Their Vambrances even detail how they can access that base Schmidt briefly mentioned. Apparently, it¡¯s the main meeting space for Dream Catchers, scientists, and rich folk with their own secrets.

    Smoker used to claim many of the Devil Seeds Nikolay fought for. Somehow that arrangement paid for rent, utilities, and food.

    ¡°And if that¡¯s not enough? We don¡¯t know how much these things are worth.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where I come in! I also have to grow stronger. Refined! The Magi seem powerful and friendly.¡± Yet they cannot be certain that they¡¯d actually help them. ¡°At least we can ask Mirage. She¡¯s beyond creepy but also pretty smart.¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­ We¡¯re supposed to do all that while we¡¯re working on gods, Viatrix, demons, Z, and Dream Catchers?¡± Shen doubts that it can all be achieved in a year.

    ¡°More optimism! It doesn¡¯t have to be a year. We have the rest of our lives!¡±

    Their main focus should lie on their original goal, discovering the mysteries behind demons. Since there are no Dream Catchers or Z¡¯s in the Otherworld, they should deal with them here. They¡¯re largely intertwined to the point that Nikolay can even visualize their connection. His image of dawn represents Dream Catchers who aim for goals beyond their current reach. Dusk represents the end of a Dream Catcher turning into a demon. The return of dawn is the birth of a devil. He¡¯s not the best at analogies so it¡¯s the best thing he¡¯s come up with so far.

    Gods and the like are best explored in the Otherworld. They could try figuring out why the gods in their mythology show up in the Otherworld. Viatrix however is too much of a mystery to truly be examined. They can hope that they¡¯d stumble upon something offering them leads, but for now they¡¯ll have to settle with what they can achieve.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do it. Dream Catchers, Zs, and demons¡­ We¡¯ll be quite busy until we meet Fern!¡±

    The Magi, technobabble and hierarchial structures, demons, Zs, and Dream Catchers¡­ A colorful year is underway.