《My Dreamwalker System》


 Chapter 1: Dreams and Nightmares

    <h4>Chapter 1: Dreams and Nightmares</h4>


    Many millennia ago, the eternal enemies Life and Death, fell in love, plunging the universe into chaos. And out of this illicit union were born the sleepless twins: Dream and Nightmare.


    Some say that dreams are like windows that allow us to look into our past lives, while nightmares are disturbing reflections of our countless deaths. Many try to offer vague mystical exnations, while others dismiss them as vagrant thoughts.


    But when Life and Death meet again, their childrene out to y with the mortal man for onest time. And together they create a memory that lingers past death.


    It is this Last Memory that reveals all his secrets and unravels every mystery of his departing soul.


    However, this Last Memory only answered to a chosen few. Dreamwalkers, they called them. Mystics gifted with the rarest Talent: the ability to lift the veil of sleep and cross over to the world beyond.


    There were only a handful of these special individuals in Somnium, but few dared to meddle in the affairs of the deceased. Most preferred to peddle their trade on safer waters. However, for the right price, a reckless few were always ready to offer their services.


    ***


    It was a bleak winter morning. The sky was overcast with parched gray clouds and the streets were draped in a light carpet of freshly fallen snow.


    Inside a modest two-bedroom apartment, a woman in her early thirties was hanging from the ceiling with a gray noose around her neck.


    She looked beautiful even in death, with her chubby cheeks flushed white and her auburn locks blowing in the soft dying wind that whistled through the shattered windowpane on her left.


    Dressed in a pretty pink negligee, she was dangling three feet above the ground, with a wooden stool lying right under her legs.


    "Seal the apartment. I don''t want any of those meddlesome journalists anywhere near the scene," a burly middle-aged man sporting a brown mustache and wearing a gray overcoat instructed the cops gathered at the scene.


    The two younger uniformed policemen obeyed at once and secured the apartment door with a yellow tape bearing the words, ''Faros Police Department''.


    Faros was a quiet port city on the western side of Merantis, thergest country in the continent of Somnium. Due to the squabbling street gangs and the rapid influx of illegal immigrants from the sea, the ce had one of the highest crime rates in the country.


    However, this didn''t look like a crime scene at all. Everything pointed in the direction of an open and shut suicide case. The only reason so many cops had got involved was because this woman was connected to the FPD''s top brass.


    "Bring her down and check if there are any fingerprints on her body," the man in the gray overcoat spoke again. He was about to get up and take a closer look at the furniture in the room when a strange visitor showed up at the door.


    Standing outside the apartment was an athletic young man with raven-ck locks. He was dressed in a ck leather jacket with a buttoned white shirt underneath, and his lean legs were wrapped in cuffed ck jeans paired with ckbat boots.


    Before anyone could stop him, the man in the leather jacket tore the tape at the entrance and walked into the apartment with an air ofplete nonchnce.


    However, instead of being angry, the man in the gray overcoat looked relieved. "I''m surprised you showed up in this weather. I thought you preferred to sleep till noon."


    The young man in the ck leather jacketpletely ignored the officer and headed straight for the woman''s corpse.


    "What do you make of that?" the officer asked, putting his hands inside his overcoat pockets and staring at the victim.


    "It doesn''t matter what I think, detective. You''ll learn the truth soon enough," the young man replied.


    "I really hope you know what you''re doing, Xander," the detective retorted. "There are people who don''t like to involve Dreamwalkers in such investigations."


    It was true that most of the citizens of Merantis had little faith in the Dreamwalkers, and Xander wasn''t just any Dreamwalker. He was one of those rare few who earned a living by meddling in the most gruesome and twisted cases.


    Xander''s unconventional ways and utter disregard for morals and societal norms had earned him the moniker of ''The ck Vulture'' among the inner circle of cops and investigation agencies.


    His ill-repute followed him like a shadow wherever he went, but due to his unusual talents, Detective Locksley still called on him whenever he was in a pickle.


    "If you mess this up, the whole department will be on my ass. There is no room for error," the Detective reiterated.


    "Detective Locksley, if you want I can just walk away. It''s your call," Xander replied, taking a good look at the woman''s corpse.


    "There''s no need for that attitude," the detective huffed. "Get to work and find out what you can. She is rted to the Chief. I can''t afford to screw this one up."


    "My price is non-negotiable. Ten thousand vireks."


    "God, why is it always about money with you?" Detective Locksley asked in an annoyed tone. "Don''t you feel any sense of social responsibility?"


    "Social responsibility doesn''t pay my bills, detective. Ten thousand vireks. Not a miren more, not a miren less."


    "Fine," the detective muttered in annoyance. "Just do your job."


    That was all the encouragement Xander needed to get to work. Unzipping his jacket, he took out a silver pocket watch attached to a tinum fob chain. The hands of the watch were moving perfectly till now, but they suddenly stopped as he held it in front of the woman''s corpse.


    Xander looked at his watch with keen concentration, almost holding his breath. A minute passed in silence, and then the hands started moving again. But they moved in reverse this time. His eyes immediately widened and he stepped back.


    "It''s a nightmare. She''s been murdered," he announced, shoving his pocket watch back inside his jacket.


    "What?" Detective Locksley questioned in shock. "We had to break into the apartment. It was locked from the inside. There was no one else here. This looks like suicide to me."


    "You wouldn''t call me if you were so sure. The Chronica doesn''t lie, detective," Xander replied without taking his eyes off the woman''s corpse.


    The Chronica was among a Dreamwalker''s most prized possessions. Though it looked just like an ordinary pocket watch, there was nothing ordinary about its workings. It was a beacon which guided the Dreamwalkers in the right direction, helping them unravel the many mysteries of the veiled world.


    "Who killed her? And how?" the detective asked.


    "I''m about to get to that part." Xander sat down on the tiled floor with his legs crossed, one on top of the other. With his left hand, he reached into his jacket''s inner pocket and took out a ck crystal ball.


    As soon as he ced it on the ground, dark gray clouds started swirling inside the crystal ware. Xander looked straight at the corpse and took a deep breath before closing his eyes shut.


    At first, he looked as still as a statue, but after a few seconds, his whole body started convulsing. His eyes remained shut tightly, but his head was suddenly thrown back. He kept shaking feverishly, his clenched teeth chattering behind his parched lips.


    And then it all stopped.


    A faint ck ring appeared on the floor around Xander. It gradually darkened, and dense ck smoke started billowing out of it.


    The ck crystal ced on the ground shattered to pieces, releasing the gray clouds trapped within. A surge of energy rushed at Xander and entered his body. The very next moment, the whole room filled with smoke, and the cops were forced to step outside.


    By using the ck crystal, Xander had created a portal to the world beyond. However, he couldn''t travel to the other side in his corporeal form, so he split his soul into two halves, freeing himself from the shackles of the real world.


    A part of Xander''s soul remained inside his body, while the other half crossed over to the Infinite Void¡ªa ne between life and death.

 Chapter 2: The Infinite Void

    <h4>Chapter 2: The Infinite Void</h4>


    On the other side of the sleepy veil, Xander''s soul fragment assumed his corporeal form, dressed in the same clothes that he had on in the real world.


    The part of his soul that remained inside his actual body only kept him alive, but had no consciousness of its own, while the soul fragment that crossed over to the Infinite Void contained the true essence of Xander''s being.


    As the Dreamwalker slowly opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of nowhere, inside a vast abyss with nothing but darkness stretching out in every direction.


    The Infinite Void was a ce where nothing made of flesh and bone could survive, yet the Dreamwalkers were always wee here. In fact, for Xander, this ce was like a second home.


    Though to the untrained eye it seemed inhospitable and bleak, it wasn''t as barren as it looked. The void had its own share of secrets, ones which it only divulged to a chosen few.


    The only tangible object in this dark in was a shattered oval mirror framed in gold. In it, Xander could see his own hazy reflection standing beside the woman who had been found hanging from the ceiling.


    As he stepped close to the ssy surface, smoky gray letters appeared before him, weing him to the Infinite Void.


    [The Void embraces the weary traveler.]


    [You who walk between life and death]


    [Beware the path of shadows.]


    After the words disappeared, Xander touched the mirror with his left thumb, deliberately pricking his skin on the broken ss. As his blood trickled down the mirror, it turned scarlet red, and a string of glowing white letters shed before his eyes.


    [Dreamwalker System activated!]


    [Dreamwalker''s Name: Xander Nyxon.]


    [Dreamwalker Rank: Adept.]


    [Dreamwalker Level: 4.]


    [Unlocked Skills:]


    [1. Card Collector (Level 2): The Dreamwalker can store up to ten cards in his deck.]


    [2. Dealer''s Gift (Level 2): The Dreamwalker can carry a set of five cards with him.]


    [3. Mystic Armory (Level 2): The Dreamwalker can store up to four Mystical Weapons in his armory.]


    [4. Master of Arms (Level 2): The Dreamwalker can carry a maximum of two weapons with him.]


    After taking a good look at his active skills, Xander stepped away from the mirror and pped his hands twice. "Reveal your secrets."


    Immediately, the dark void was reced by a vast expanse of infinite space. The velvety night sky bedazzled with stars stretched out in every direction, as far as the eye could see.


    Xander found himself standing on a broken white marble staircase with three paths in front of him.


    The one on his left was made of three floating red stones, the one on his right was made of three floating blue stones, and the one down the middle consisted of four floating ck stones.


    Taking the path on his right, Xander reached an ornate chest with a gilded lid and a lock shaped like the crescent moon.


    This was the Dreamwalker''s personal armory and contained his collection of special weapons. Some of them had been acquired from idyllic Dreamscapes while others had been obtained from twisted Nightscapes.


    However, these weapons could only be used in this world. There was no way he could bring anything back to his own world.


    Having been on the path for two years, Xander knew the rules. He opened the chest by whispering an ancient incantation and pulled out two tiny y tablets from inside.


    Immediately, a panel of white light appeared before him, confirming his selections.


    [Weapons selected:]


    [1. The Eyeless Watcher (Nightmare Weapon)]


    [2. The Dream Cleaver (Nightmare Weapon)]


    Putting the tablets inside his jacket''s left pocket, he returned to the starting point.


    From there, he took the left path that led him to a red crystal statue of a blind woman holding a nine-sided dice in each hand. It wasn''t just any ordinary sculpture but a manifestation of Amara, the Goddess of trickery and deception.


    Xander whispered another incantation before the statue, and immediately a deck of glowing cards appeared before him. There were ten cards in the deck, each with a unique picture on it. He carefully selected five cards from the deck and pulled them out.


    [Cards selected:]


    [1.Eye of Truth (Dream Card)]


    [2. Oracle''s Protection (Dream Card)]


    [3. Destiny''s Child (Dream Card)]


    [4. Beast Companion (Dream Card)]


    [5. Arctic Kiss (Dream Card)]


    The very next second, all other cards in the deck disappeared.


    Once more Xander returned to the starting point. This time, the paths on his left and right disappeared, and only the one in the middle remained.


    Breathing the cool night air, Xander stepped onto the floating ck stones. They led him to a ck marble arch with dark gray smoke swirling inside it.


    Though Xander had traveled to dozens of Nightscapes in the past, there was no way for him to know whaty on the other side since every nightmare was unique.


    However, one thing was certain. This Nightscape was going to be crawling with malevolent beings since it was a Death Nightmare.


    "Another day, another nightmare," he sighed, stepping into the smoke.


    A cacklingughter echoed from the other side, and the arch copsed into a heap of stones.


    Once the veil of smoke cleared away, Xander found himself in the middle of a graveyard with cracked headstones all around him. Strangely enough, none of them had any names, and the years were barely readable.


    The sky above was dark with a blood-red moon peeping through the veil of fleecy gray clouds. A chilly wind was blowing across the Nightscape, lifting the dried leaves from the ground and making them dance around the Dreamwalker.


    Xander could sense a dark aura in his surroundings. He felt like he was being watched from the shadows, and it made him feel anxious and jittery.


    "Find me if you can, Dreamwalker!" A raspy female voice echoed in his ears, sending shivers down his spine.


    He caught a glimpse of a white shadow from the corner of his eyes as it rushed past him and disappeared into the darkness.

 Chapter 3: A Death Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 3: A Death Nightmare</h4>


    [Wee to the Nightscape!]


    [The Dreamwalker has entered a Death Nightmare.]


    [New Main Objective: Find the Last Memory and end the chaos!]


    Xander nced at his pocket watch once more and saw that its dial had turned ck, confirming his initial im. He was certain now that thedy had been murdered since he found himself inside a Death Nightmare.


    Most Dreamwalkers would never dare to enter a Death Nightmare, for traversing the Nightscape was no easy task even for the most experienced ones. Xander however, enjoyed the thrill of challenging death at every step. It filled him with a strange sense of satisfaction.


    Even more than the payment, he relished the opportunity to test his skill against the twisted denizens of the Nightscape. It was one of the only things that made him feel alive and gave a purpose to his otherwise meaningless existence.


    "I am waiting in the shadows...Come find me where darkness bleeds into the light," the raspy female voice cried once again.


    Xander lifted his right hand and snapped his fingers. Immediately, a card appeared between his middle and index finger. It had the image of a glowing white eye and a string of archaic letters under it.


    "y card: Eye of Truth."


    At once, the card in Xander''s hand shed red and turned to dust. A bright red aura spread out from him, covering the whole graveyard. Momentster, he could make out faint red orbs glowing behind several of the headstones.


    "Come out and y, fes. I can see you clear as day," Xander jeered, cracking his fingers.


    His taunts didn''t go unheard. Snarling noises filled the graveyard as the creatures hiding behind the headstones stood up on their slender, bony legs.


    "Why is it always you guys every single time?" Xander huffed. "It gets really boring after a while."


    As the clouds cleared away, moonlight flooded the whole graveyard, revealing the monsters in all their grotesque glory.


    They looked like feral goblins twisted by some dark curse. Standing six feet tall with scaly green skin, glowing red eyes, and razor-sharp fingernails, they were the lowest of all pack hunters in the Nightscape.


    The Dreamwalkers called them Grievers. Creatures born of grief, and cursed to dwell in graveyards and cemeteries for all eternity. Though they didn''t pose much of a threat alone, in a pack, however, things were a lot different.


    There were six of them in the graveyard, each an identical copy of the other. Not only did they share the same physical features, but they also acted onmon instinct.


    The Grievers were highly territorial creatures, driven by malice against the living. And Xander was standing right inside their backyard.


    Seeing the strange human in their territory, the Grievers went mad with bloodlust. Opening their jaws wide, they let out a collective shriek, revealing hundreds of dagger-like teeth stacked inside their salivating mouths.


    Xander quickly pulled out an inscribed y tablet from his jacket and crushed it within his palm. Immediately, a double-action revolver covered in hundreds of squirming ck strands appeared in his right hand.


    The weapon had a long gray barrel and a heavy silver trigger with runic engravings. It was one of the first weapons Xander had acquired from a nightmare and was among his most prized possessions. It was deadly at close range, and rumor had it that one could fire it with his eyes closed, and it would still find its target.


    "Alright boys, let''s get this party started." Xander grinned pulling the hammer back with his right thumb.


    The Grievers let out another bloodcurdling cry and rushed at him from all sides. Xander looked to his right and fired a single shot. The bullet drilled a hole in the Griever''s head, turning it to ash.


    "One down, more to go. Don''t worry, there''s enough for all of you." Xander took quick shots to his left, without even looking, and immediately two more dropped dead.


    A Griever managed to sneak up behind Xander while he was busy disying his antics. It was toote by the time he heard the shriek behind his shoulder. The monster''s w shed his jacket, leaving a deep gash on his back.


    "Son of a bitch!" Xander cursed in pain.


    It was about to jump on his shoulder when he spun around and shot it in the chest.


    Blood dripped from Xander''s back, staining his shredded white shirt and soaking his jacket red. He fought the pain with clenched teeth and turned around to face thest two Grievers in the pack.


    The first Griever rushed at him on all fours, giving him barely a second to react. Luckily, he had quick reflexes and a perfect aim. The monster went down with a bullet to its face before it could get any closer.


    Xander was about to flick his gun to the side and shoot thest Griever when it pounced on him. Its gnarly white teeth dug into his left arm, biting right into his bone.


    "God damn it!" Xander kicked it in its belly to force it to open its jaw.


    As the monster yelped in pain, Xander pulled the trigger, shooting it in its lumpy throat. It let out a muffled cry and turned to ash.


    [Grievers defeated!]


    [500 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 1000/2000.]


    [Current Level: 4.]


    [10 Nightmare Shards obtained!]


    Xander breathed a sigh of relief and pulled himself back to his feet. Strapping the revolver to his waist, he took off his jacket and held it up. Through the jagged slits on the back, he could see the moon peeping from the other side.


    "Not a nice start. Guess I shouldn''t be taking you all so lightly," he mumbled.


    Though Xander had taken out the Grievers, a graveyard was never a safe ce inside a nightmare. He quickly put his jacket back on and pulled out a silver ne from under his shirt. Dangling from it was a green, leaf-shaped talisman.


    As soon as Xander touched the talisman, his fingers started tingling, and a gentle warmth spread through his body. Secondster, the bleeding stopped, and all his wounds closed automatically, leaving just a few light scars on his skin.


    This talisman was a rare relic called the Amulet of Life. Xander had obtained it from an obscure Dreamscape many months ago. Its potent magic could heal any wound in seconds and even mend broken bones in a heartbeat. The only catch was that it needed time to replenish its magic energy after every use.


    Having healed his wounds, Xander was about to follow the grassy brown path that led out of the graveyard when he heard a muffled cry in the distance.


    Here in the Nightscape, it wasn''t umon for Dreamwalkers to run into malevolent Ethereals, but what bothered Xander was that the cry sounded almost human.


    Without a second thought, he rushed out of the graveyard. His revolver automatically restored all the bullets he had fired.


    A narrow snaking path nked by leafless brown treesy before him. Xander looked at his Chronica again. The watch''s dial had turned pitch ck now, obscuring the numbers on its periphery.


    A cold chill ran down Xander''s spine as he gazed at his pocket watch. Thest time his Chronica had turned jet ck was one year ago when he and his friend, Marvin had entered a Death Nightmare by mistake.


    What they had seen that day had changed their lives forever. They were lucky to have made it out alive, but that was thest time he''d seen Marvin. The guy had disappeared without a trace, and he''d never been able to contact him again.


    Xander realized that this wasn''t an ordinary Death Nightmare. The victim hadn''t been murdered by amon criminal.


    Shoving the Chronica back inside his jacket, Xander took a good look around him. It was awfully quiet outside the graveyard with not a single Ethereal in sight. Something didn''t feel right, but he couldn''t figure out what.


    As Xander trudged down the dusty path, a murder of crows rushed toward him. He instinctively ducked, letting the cawing ck birds fly over him and disappear into the darkness.


    The barrenndscape was dotted with thorny bushes and tufts of withered grass. The ground was bone dry and covered in cracks.


    Suddenly, Xander''s eyes fell on a blood-red vine squirming around a dried oak tree, its spindly leaves perforating the brown tree trunk.


    "What the hell is a Blood Vine doing here?" Xander stopped in his tracks to take a closer look. He soon discovered more vines in the distance.


    Out of nowhere, a hot gust of air pped him in the face, making his throat run dry. The eerie silence was abruptly shattered by an unearthly neighing that made his blood run cold.


    Xander turned around, following the direction of the noise, and heard the clopping of hooves in the distance. The sound grew louder and louder as a shadowy figure approached from afar.


    Out of the foggy darkness emerged a blood-red horse with pitch-ck eyes. As it snorted furiously, its sinewy shoulders pulsated with rage, and clouds of ck smoke billowed out of its nostrils.


    Seated atop the wild stallion was a ck knight dressed in full te armor, wearing a plumed iron helmet. In his right hand, he held a ming greatsword, while his left hand tugged at the reins of the terrifying beast.


    "I knew you would being, Dreamwalker. But this will be yourst nightmare!" the knight eximed in a raspy voice.


    Raising his ming sword, the knight brought his stallion to a halt, inches away from Xander. "The hour of doom is at hand. Shamura shall be set free again!"


    That name made Xander''s eyes widen. His legs froze in terror, and his heart started thumping inside his chest like a caged animal.


    As the knight cackled in his hoarse voice, mes erupted from his mouth, spewing out of the breathing holes in his great helm.


    "Prepare to meet your maker!" he shouted, setting his burning gaze on the Dreamwalker.


    [Rare Ethereal encountered!]


    [Ethereal: ck Knight.]


    [Additional Objective: Defeat the ck Knight to cleanse the Nightscape!]

 Chapter 4: The Black Knight

    <h4>Chapter 4: The ck Knight</h4>


    Xander never expected to encounter a ck Knight here, even if it was a Death Nightmare. These malevolent Ethereals were known to frequent dungeons and towers, and were seldom found roaming the Nightscape all alone.


    What made Xander even more suspicious was that name¡ªShamura. He had a hunch that this Ethereal wasn''t here out of his own free will but had been summoned to this nightmare from another realm.


    However, none of that mattered right now. The ck Night was eager to trample Xander under his horse''s hooves.


    As the knight charged at Xander, he rolled to his left, narrowly evading the collision. This infuriated the knight even more and he turned his horse around sharply. Raising his ming sword in the air, he fixed his eyes on the Dreamwalker.


    Xander quickly scrambled back to his feet and snapped his fingers to summon a glowing white card with the image of a blindfolded young woman on it.


    "y card: Oracle''s Protection!"


    "Die, mortal!" The ck Knight shouted, bringing his sword down with a heavy hand.


    A line of fire erupted from his ming sword. It sliced the road in half and surged ahead, straight toward the Dreamwalker.


    As the white card disappeared from Xander''s hand, it conjured a protective shield around him. The ming wall crashed into a spectral white dome. It licked the barrier with its fiery tongue, but was unable to prate the shield.


    Grabbing his greatsword with both hands, the knight channeled more energy into it before bringing it down with a swift slicing motion. A towering wall of mes shot toward the Dreamwalker, charring the brown leaves scattered on the ground.


    This time, Xander''s shield failed to nullify the blow. The powerful elemental attack dealt enough damage to cause the protective barrier to fizzle out, leaving the Dreamwalker exposed once again.


    Before the ck Knight could charge his sword for another attack, Xander pulled out his revolver and fired six shots in quick session. To his great shock, the bullets barely dented the rider''s armor.


    "What the hell are you made of?" Xander grumbled, staring at his smoking gun.


    The bullets fired from the Eyeless Watcher were lethal to most Ethereals, even heavily armored ones, but this knight barely felt a tickle.


    It wasn''t the first time Xander had encountered a ck Knight, but there was something wrong with this one. He seemed to have some kind of enchantment on his armor which protected him from projectiles.


    "Iugh at your efforts, Dreamwalker," the ck Knight cackled in a hoarse voice. "You are destined to perish in the Nightscape."


    Something about the knight''s words struck Xander. Thest time he had encountered a ck Knight, he sounded a lot lessprehensible. Let alone entire sentences, he couldn''t even string three words together without letting out anguished groans in between.


    This one however was different. Not only was he speaking inplete sentences, his voice sounded clear. It was almost as if someone else was speaking through him.


    Xander put his gun away at once and summoned another card in his right hand. It had the image of a pair of seven-sided green dies on top and a newborn babe ying in a cradle under it.


    "You''re really frustrating, you know that?" Xander quipped, holding his card between two fingers. "Suddenly I feel like ten thousand vireks isn''t adequatepensation for this."


    "Silence fool! You shall perish by my hand!" the ck Knight shouted in response.


    The blood-red stallion raised its front hooves as the knight pulled its smoky mane with his free hand. Neighing in pain, it charged at the Dreamwalker at lightning speed.


    Xander took a deep breath and flicked his card in the air. It fluttered for a second before being engulfed in mes. A faint green aura enveloped Xander as he looked up.


    The very next second, the knight rushed past Xander on his speeding steed, his ming sword missing Xander''s head by mere inches.


    What followed next was another furious attempt to lob his head off, but once more the knight''s de missed him by a hair. Xander''s lips curved into a sly grin as the horseman''s attempts to slice him up, ended in failure over and over again.


    The Dreamwalker ducked and sidestepped every attack with ease, driving the ck Knight wild with rage. In a desperate bid to crush the insolent rogue who stood in his path, he gripped his sword like ance and tried to skewer him with its pointy tip.


    "You will fall!"


    "You''re wee to try," Xander mocked.


    Once more Xander sidestepped the attack, causing the knight to miss his target and go charging past.


    Under normal circumstances, even the most athletic Dreamwalker would never have been able to dodge a ck Knight''s attack, but Xander had buffed his agility by ying the right card at the right time.


    The card he had just used was ''Destiny''s Child'', a rare Dream Card that could be used for sharpening the user''s reflexes by improving his luck. As long as the enchantment remained active, he was practically immune to all melee attacks.


    By using a defensive card, Xander was just trying to buy time, and the ck Knight didn''t take long to realize this. Having failed to run the Dreamwalker down, he prepared to switch to a different tactic.


    Instead of charging at Xander, the ck Knight channeled his fiery energy into his de, making its mes glow brighter. Once more, he pointed the de skyward and prepared to unleash another me charge at his opponent.


    Xander saw the attacking from a mile away and quickly pulled out his revolver. By this time, its ammunition had been replenished, and it was ready to be fired again.


    Before the knight could cleave the air with his sword again, Xander unleashed a volley of bullets at the Ethereal. This time, however, his shots were aimed a little lower.


    All six bullets hit the stallion in the head, causing it to neigh in pain and throw the ck Knight off its back.


    Without a rider on its back, the wounded beast ran wild and disappeared into the distance, leaving the ck Knight to fend for himself.


    Now that the knight no longer had the advantage of being mounted, it evened the ying field. However, his enchanted armor and ming sword still gave him a slight upper hand.


    Channeling energy to the tip of his greatsword, the knight thrust it into the cracked ground. The whole area around him slowly turned red as the cracks filled withva. As he pulled out his de, its mes died out, but its edge remained sharp as ever.


    Sweat dripped from Xander''s forehead as the heat scorched his skin, making his throat run dry. The ck Knight rushed at him, holding his greatsword with both hands.


    Xander somehow managed to duck under the first sh, but the second blow sliced through his shirt, leaving a deep gash on his belly. The knight was about to end it with a final heavy attack when Xander unloaded his revolver in the knight''s face, blinding him momentarily.


    Clutching his bleeding stomach, Xander backed away to safety. He tried to use his amulet again, but its magic energy hadn''t beenpletely replenished yet. All it managed to do was dull his pain.


    As the knight gradually recovered his vision, he narrowed his eyes on his target and took off his damaged helmet. Underneath ity a hideous gray face with smoldering red eyes and pale blue lips.


    Pointing his sword at the Dreamwalker, the ck Knight parted his lips to speak. "You shouldn''t have interfered. This nightmare will be your final resting ce."


    "We''ll see about that."


    Xander slowly put his gun away and snapped his fingers once more to summon the penultimate card in his set. It was a bright white card with glowing blue edges and images of tiny snowkes on it.


    With a quick flick of his right wrist, Xander held his card face up and whispered in a dark, dreary voice, "y card: Arctic Kiss."


    As soon as the card was activated, Xander''s fingers began to glow white, and he felt a bitter chill creep up his spine. His pupils shed white for a second, and his palms turned cold.


    Stretching his arms apart, Xander stared right back at the ck Knight. "Come on now. Let''s see how tough you are!"


    Blood continued oozing out of Xander''s wounded belly. It trickled down his jeans and kept dripping onto his shoes. He looked miserable and in terrible pain, but he wasn''t ready to just lie down and ept defeat.


    "Why don''t you give up, Dreamwalker? What keeps you going?" the ck Knight asked in his raspy voice.


    Xander grinned and replied, "Ten thousand vireks is a lot of money. I can''t die without iming my reward."


    "You shall perish for your greed!" The ck Knight thundered and charged at him.


    Pointing his open palms at the ground, Xander channeled all his magic energy into his fingertips. "It''s my turn now!" he shouted, freezing the ground.


    A cold breeze pushed the ck Knight back as the Dreamwalker continued pooling more energy into his palms. Soon, the whole ground was covered in a thick sheet of ice that sealed all the cracks and turned theva bubbling inside to ck rock.


    As the cold cut through the ck Knight''s armor, his movements became sluggish, and he found it difficult to bnce himself on the slippery ground.


    "Chill out, douchebag!" Xander eximed aloud, bringing his cupped palms together and releasing a burst of cold energy.


    Within seconds, the knight''s feet froze solid, and he was forced to stop in his tracks. Temperatures around him kept dropping rapidly, chilling his skin. The blood boiling inside his veins froze, and the mes in his eyes dimmed down.


    As the chilling wind picked up speed, the ck Knight tried to raise his greatsword to break the ice, but his arms froze in the air. The cold spread throughout his body, covering his te armor in a thin sheet of frost, and turning him into an ice sculpture.


    Seeing the knight immobilized, Xander eventually put his hands down and caught his breath. Casting the cold spell had taken a toll on his wounded body. He barely had any strength left to keep going.


    With trembling fingers, Xander reached for his revolver. His hand kept shaking as he tried to aim at the frozen Ethereal, but he somehow managed to steady it with his spare arm.


    A single shot to the chest was all it took to shatter the ice sculpture to pieces.


    [ck Knight defeated!]


    [Objectivepleted: Cleanse the Nightscape!]


    [1500 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 500/3000.]


    [Level Up!]


    [One Skill Point acquired!]


    [90 Nightmare Shards obtained!]


    [5 Nightmare Coins obtained!]

 Chapter 5: The Eternal Fountain

    <h4>Chapter 5: The Eternal Fountain</h4>


    With the death of the ck Knight, the Nightscape changed significantly. The dark aura enveloping thend faded, and the gray clouds drifted away, making way for the waning moon and her twinkling entourage.


    Even the Blood Vines shriveled up and died, and the ground turned soft and pliable again. Cleansing the Nightscape not only made it more navigable but also reduced the Dreamwalker''s chances of encountering tougher enemies.


    Xander took out his pocket watch and breathed a sigh of relief. The ckened ss dial had turned transparent again, and the glowing hour hand was pointing at twelve. It didn''t indicate the time in the Nightscape, but hinted at the direction of the main objective.


    "Wish you could also tell me how far it is," Xander breathed out a despairing sigh and hobbled forward. He had lost so much blood that he was starting to feel dizzy and nauseous now.


    With the little strength left in his body, he somehow dragged his leaden feet forward. Though he tried to stop the blood from oozing out of the gash on his stomach, it leaked through his fingers and kept dripping onto the ground as he ambled forward.


    Up ahead in the distance, he saw something glimmering in the darkness and knew he could breathe easy again.


    As Xander trudged across the road, it brought him to a narrow wooden bridge suspended by ropes. A canyon full of rocks and thorny bushesy below it.


    "I swear I''m so done with this. There''s always a canyon or a gorge in every damn nightmare," Xander frowned, clutching his wound tighter. "I should have asked for twenty thousand vireks at least."


    Xander looked down and gulped an airy lump in his throat. The drop was easily five hundred feet and there was nothing to break the fall. One little ident would send him plummeting to his death.


    Though Xander''s body was still in the real world, he could still die on this side. And dying inside a nightmare would cause half of his soul to be trapped inside the Nightscape for all eternity.


    For a Dreamwalker, it was a fate worse than dying in the real world. That was the reason most of them chose to steer clear of such dangerous situations.


    Xander, however, had a knack for ying with fire.


    "Alright, one step at a time. It''s just anky wooden bridge. What could possibly go wrong?"


    It was just like him to mock danger with a healthy dose of sarcasm.


    Any other person would have tried to find another, safer way forward, but Xander was toozy to look for an alternate path. For him, the shortest way was always the best.


    A cold gust of wind the blew dust in his face as he took the first step on the wooden bridge. The generously spaced nks made the trip across far more dangerous than it had to be. One wrong step, and it would be hisst.


    Xander gripped the rope line on his right and carefully pressed forward. Every time the wind picked up speed, the bridge swayed from side to side, and he had to spread out his legs to bnce himself.


    With his heart pounding inside his chest, the Dreamwalker stepped over the gaps and slowly made his way across the bridge. He was almost about to take the final step when the howling wind blew away thest two nks.


    "Crap!"


    Xander lost his bnce as the bridge tilted sideways. His feet dangled perilously over the canyon as his body was flipped over the side of the bridge. He somehow held on to the rope with his right arm, but his sweaty fingers made it incredibly difficult to maintain his grip.


    "God damn it! I swear this is the fifth time."


    As the bridge swayed right and left, Xander started feeling dizzy and lightheaded. He had no choice but to remove the hand covering his wound and use it to steady his hold on the dangling bridge.


    With the little strength he had left in his aching muscles, he pulled himself up, inch by painful inch. Getting his upper body over the bridge was the easy part, but it hurt like hell as he tried to pull his legs up.


    After a painful struggle he finally managed to climb back on, but it left him exhausted. Every muscle in his body was throbbing in pain, and he waspletely out of breath. He wanted to lie down on the bridge and rest awhile, but a distant voice beckoned to him.


    "I am waiting for you, Dreamwalker. My time is running out."


    Gulping quick deep breaths through his mouth, Xander slowly raised himself to his feet. Even as his body kept resisting, he fought the urge to give up. Taking a few steps back, he dashed ahead and jumped over the broken nks, clearing the gap with a leap of faith.


    As soon as hended on the gravelly ground on the other side, a bolt of lightning struck the wooden bridge behind, instantly setting it aze. Xander watched as the mes engulfed the nks and swallowed the whole bridge.


    "Guess I can''t go back that way," he huffed. "You gotta stop burning your bridges, woman," he shouted into the dying wind.


    There was no reply from that female voice, but Xander knew she could hear him. It felt frustrating to be trapped inside someone else''s nightmare, but he knew what he was signing up for when he decided to open the portal.


    The night grew colder as Xander resumed his trek.


    Following the glimmer in the distance, he made his way to an intersection where the gravelly path diverged into two narrower roads. In the middle of this intersection was a gray statue of a naked woman pouring water from an earthen pitcher, standing inside a shallow through.


    [Eternal Fountain discovered!]


    [Step forward to partake of the divine blessing.]


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Xander hobbled up to the fountain and dipped his head in the water. The cold, wet touch soothed his senses and relieved all his pain. As he drank the waters of the fountain in little sips, the gash on his stomach miraculously healed, and his amulet started glowing inside his shirt.


    [Healing benediction granted!]


    [All ailments cured.]


    [Strength and vigor replenished.]


    Washing his sweaty face in the trough of ice-cold water, Xander looked up at the statue and said, "I wish to browse my inventory. Grant me your insight."


    Almost immediately, glowing white letters appeared before him.


    [Insight invoked.]


    [Dreamwalker''s inventory is open for perusal.]


    [Cards remaining: 1. Beast Companion.]


    [Nightmare Shards collected: 100.]


    [Nightmare Coins collected: 5.]


    [Skill Points acquired: 1.]


    Taking a good look at his inventory, Xander spoke aloud, "Open skill tree."


    [Level 5 Dreamwalker Skill Tree:]


    [1 Skill Point Avable.]


    [Unlocked Skills:]


    [1. Card Collector (Level 2) (Upgrade Cost: 2 Skill Points.)]


    [2. Dealer''s Gift (Level 2) (Upgrade Cost: 2 Skill Points.)]


    [3. Mystic Armory (Level 2) (Upgrade Cost: 2 Skill Points.)]


    [4. Master of Arms (Level 2) (Upgrade Cost: 2 Skill Points.)]


    [Locked Skills:]


    [1. Elemental Mage (Unlock Cost: 1 Skill Point.)]


    [2. Assassin''s Kiss (Unlock Cost: 1 Skill Point.)]


    [Level up to obtain additional skills.]


    Right now, there were two options before Xander. He could either use his avable Skill Point to unlock a new skill, or he could collect two Skill Points to upgrade one of his existing skills.


    Thest two greyed-out skills on the Skill Tree were both passive skills that were aimed at providing special buffs to the Dreamwalker under specific conditions. While they were quite useful at higher levels, at level one, they added little value.


    Taking all things into consideration, Xander decided to store his Skill Point for now. His main focus now was on upgrading the Dealer''s Gift skill so that he could carry more cards with him.


    Closing his Skill Tree, Xander nced at his Chronica again. This time, both the minute hand as well as the hour hand was pointing at twelve, meaning that he was really close to his destination. He could already feel the warmth of ten thousand vireks in his hands.


    As Xander walked past the fountain, the sky became overcast with gray clouds once again.


    "I thought I just cleansed the Nightscape. Please tell me there aren''t two ck Knights in this nightmare," he sighed in frustration.


    Instead of taking one of the winding roads, Xander headed straight for the woods since it offered a shorter route.


    Owls hooted in the treetops, and cicadas buzzed in the distant bushes. The sturdy brown-leaved trees looked on in silence as the Dreamwalker trudged through the grassy undergrowth.


    Following the hands of his watch, Xander cut through the trees and shrubs and eventually reached a clearing with dozens of small wooden totems nted all around.


    "This has to be one of the strangest nightmares I''ve ever seen. First a ck Knight, and now this."


    Keeping his hand on his revolver, Xander walked into the clearing. He had barely taken ten steps when a red circle appeared under his feet.


    [Necromantic Circle activated!]


    [New Additional Objective: Ovee the undead horde!]

 Chapter 6: Blood and Bones

    <h4>Chapter 6: Blood and Bones</h4>


    The ground started trembling under Xander''s feet as the circle turned blood red. Bony gray arms burst through the topsoil and wed their way to the surface, dragging with them deformed skeletons wearing tattered brown rags.


    Within seconds, the whole clearing was flooded with re-animated skeletons armed with rusted iron daggers and crooked axes. Every sound was drowned by the chattering of teeth as the undead minions raised their weapons and rushed at the Dreamwalker from all sides.


    Xander fired a few shots in the air to try and scare off the skeletons, but they kept stumbling forward like mindless puppets.


    "Seriously, what kind of damn nightmare is this? A ck Knight first, and now a horde of undead?"


    As the skeletons crowded Xander from all sides, he holstered his gun and fished out the second y tablet from his pocket. It crumbled inside his palm, releasing a burst of purple light that blinded all the undead around him.


    Xander stretched out his right hand, and immediately his second weapon materialized before him. It was an enormous ck scythe with a long wooden handle and a curved steel de with a spiked edge.


    "I guess it''s harvest season already," Xander quipped, swinging the scythe with both hands.


    The de cut through the skeletons like grass. With every sweep, hundreds of bones were hacked to pieces. The stumbling minions groaned and clicked their jaws, piling on top of each other in a mad rush to get close to the Dreamwalker, but his weapon''s long reach helped him maintain distance.


    Xander''s wild swings sliced through their ribs, shattering their spines and cutting them in half. Though the horde seemed endless, the Dreamwalker kept plowing through the sea of bones without stopping.


    For every fallen skeleton, another wed its way to the surface and joined the horde. Xander soon found himself fighting a losing battle. No matter how many he killed, it never seemed to make any difference. Neither their numbers went down, nor their morale.


    Sweat streamed down Xander''s smooth forehead as he pushed his body to its limit in a desperate bid to cull their numbers. But the skeletons kept stumbling forward, climbing over the piles of bones scattered all around.


    "This is starting to feel a bit repetitive now," Xander said as he dispatched another group of skeletons with a wide sh. His scythe started glowing a dull violet as its magical energy reached its threshold.


    The Dream Cleaver was one of the rarest weapons in the nightmare realm. Each enemy felled by its de increased its magical potential. In its empowered state, it became enchanted with chaos magic, allowing the wielder to harness its true, untapped potential.


    As the skeletons closed in on him with their weapon ready to hack into his flesh, Xander raised his scythe and swung it like a baseball bat. A wave of energy rushed forward and decimated the approaching minions in a blinding sh of violet.


    Having wiped out half the horde, Xander turned around and performed two consecutive shes. des of violet light flew out of his scythe instantly obliterating what remained of the stumbling multitude.


    The bone piles soon turned into dust, leaving behind clusters of uncut purple shards scattered across the field.


    [Undead Warriors defeated!]


    [Objectivepleted: Ovee the undead horde!]


    [1000 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 1500/3000.]


    [300 Nightmare Shards obtained!]


    [15 Nightmare Coins obtained!]


    Looking at the wispy white letters floating in front of him, Xander breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I guess that wasn''t too tough after all."


    The words were barely out of his mouth when the sky suddenly darkened and the Necromantic Circle around him started expanding.


    [100 Undead Warriors sacrificed.]


    [Ritual of Bonespleted!]


    [Dread Lord awakened!]


    [New objective: Outrun death!]


    "What the hell is this now?" Xander gasped in shock. He thought defeating the skeletons would be the end of this, but his problems had just begun.


    The whole clearing was suddenly engulfed in blinding darkness as an unnatural fog smothered the field. Xander could feel someone watching him from the shadows, and it sent shivers down his spine.


    Sharp, high-pitched neighs shattered the oppressive silence and the fog swirled behind the Dreamwalker to take on a most terrifying form. What emerged out of the smoky ckness was an Ethereal whose tales had only been described in ancient texts.


    Six spectral horses neighed in unison, their ghastly green manes engulfed in pale blue mes and their skeletal frames enveloped in an unnatural aura. Holding their silver-white reins in a deathly grasp was a mysterious figure robed in ck.


    Seated on a chariot of human bones with a chain whip in hand, was the ruler of the undead.


    For most Dreamwalkers, Dread Lords were the stuff of legend, meant to scare off the uninitiated. No one believed that they actually existed. But Xander couldn''t deny what he saw right before his eyes.


    [Legendary Ethereal encountered!]


    [Ethereal: Dread Lord.]


    [Type: Greater Undead.]


    "What kind of God damn nightmare is this?" Xander gasped, putting his scythe away. His heart started thumping louder than battle drums as he stared at the terrifying charioteer behind him.


    The Dread Lord cracked the reins like whips, urging the spectral horses into motion. The six ming stallions groaned in pain and broke off into a gallop, dragging the chariot behind them at breakneck speed.


    As the terrifying chariot came hurtling down the field, mowing the tall grasses under its heavy wheels, Xander felt his heart skip a beat. He quickly snapped his fingers and pulled out thest card in his inventory.


    It was a frosty white card with bleeding blue edges and the jaw of a canine drawn on it.


    "y card: Beast Companion!"


    As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the card vaporized from his hand and a snow-white dire wolf with coral-red eyes appeared before him.


    Xander grabbed the beast''s thick fur and climbed onto its back. "We gotta go, boy! Get moving!"


    The ferocious canine let out a fearsome growl and shot across the field like an arrow. With long, galloping strides, the dire wolf rode the whistling wind, pursued at full tilt by the Dread Lord''s chariot.


    Xander leaned forward, holding on to the dire wolf with his left hand as sweat dripped from his furrowed forehead. The night air reeked of death and he could hear a mournful melody in the distance. This nightmare was turning out to be a lot more terrifying than he''d anticipated.


    An iprehensible grumbling escaped from the Dread Lord''s bony lips as hemanded the dead to rise from their graves. Skeleton burst through the ground and ghoulish corpses sprang back to life, re-animated by the Undying Spell.


    There was death as far as the eye could see. Shambling corpses were walking around aimlessly, and dusty skeletons throwing themselves mindlessly in Xander''s path. But the direwolf was unstoppable. It kept speeding down the meadow even as axes and daggers shed its hide relentlessly.


    Bleeding and exhausted, the beast galloped as hard as its stiffening limbs would permit. Xander held on to its fur tighter than ever, steering it around the gathering mobs of undead.


    With a dull metallic rattle, the Dread Lord''s chain whipshed out at the Dreamwalker. Its pointy tip whooshed past his head, missing his right ear by inches.


    The Dread Lord''s chariot had started gaining on them, and Xander could hear the horses breathing down his neck.


    Once again, the whip cracked from behind, targeting the Dreamwalker. Xander barely managed to duck under it as it whizzed over his head. He flicked around and fired at the spectral horses to slow the chariot, but his bullets went straight through them without causing any harm.


    "What the hell are you?" A panicked whisper escaped from Xander''s lips. He had never encountered any Ethereal like this before. There was no way he could defeat it, especially now that he had used up all his cards.


    The Dread Lord raised his chain whip over his head and spun it thrice beforeshing out at Xander again. Out of nowhere, a barricade of pointy, fang-like bones sprang up in his path.


    The bleeding dire wolf was about to ram right into the spiked wall when Xander pped it on its side. "Jump over it!" he yelled.


    Using thest ounce of strength left in its failing limbs, the dire wolfunched its body into the air and leaped over the barrier.


    Xander breathed a sigh of relief as it created some much-needed space between the undead charioteer and him, but his respite was short-lived.


    The Dread Lord''s chariot rammed right through the bones, smashing the barricade to pieces. Once more, it was back on the Dreamwalker''s trail.


    It seemed impossible to get the Dread Lord off his back. He could neither harm the spectral horses nor outrun the speeding chariot. His dire wolf had already started slowing down and didn''t have the stamina to keep going for much longer.


    When all doors seemed to close in his face, Xander''s eyes made out a faint golden light in the distance. Narrowing his gaze, he leaned forward to get a better look. It was a small shrine overlooking a sparkling brook.


    "We need to reach that shrine. Just keep going!" Xander urged his dire wolf.


    A hoarse guttural scream sent shivers down the Dreamwalker''s spine. He was now within arm''s reach of the spectral horses, and the bone chariot was bearing down at full speed, ready to run him over.


    Suddenly, the chain whip pierced the dire wolf''s hide, making it whimper in pain. Xander was flung off its back as the beast tumbled forward and crashed into the ground.


    Flying across the air like a tattered rag doll, the Dreamwalker hit a dewy patch of grass and went rolling downhill. The Dread Lord''s horses trampled the bleeding dire wolf and came hurtling toward Xander.


    In ast-ditch effort to save himself, Xander staggered back on his feet and sprinted downhill as fast as his legs could carry. The chain whip cracked again andtched on to Xander''s left foot. As the Dread Lord was about to pull him toward his chariot, he dived forward and touched the granite steps leading to the shrine.


    [Shrine of Kiya discovered.]


    [Blessing Granted: Sacred Protection.]


    A burst of holy light blinded the Dread Lord, repelling his spectral horses. His chain whip turned red hot and melted down the middle, releasing Xander from its grip. A dome of light shielded the shrine, forcing the Dread Lord to bring his chariot to a grinding halt.


    Neighing and groaning, the spectral horses stopped inches away from the golden dome of light. Xander turned around and watched the Dread Lord mutter something iprehensible and groan in anger.


    Despite being a powerful Legendary Ethereal, the Dread Lord was still an undead, which meant that just like the skeletons and ghouls, he too, was vulnerable to holy magic. There was no way it could go anywhere near a sacred shrine.


    [Dread Lord evaded!]


    [Objectivepleted: Outrun death!]


    [1500 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 3000/3000.]


    [Level Up!]


    [New Level: 6.]


    [One new Skill Point avable.]


    [30 Nightmare Coins obtained!]


    Seeing the floating white words, Xander breathed a sigh of relief. Still lying on the steps of the shrine, he rolled over and looked up at the sky. "I need to start...charging extra," he breathed, in between gasps.


    Just then, his Chronica started chiming inside his jacket. He realized his journey was almost at an end. The Last Memory was close.

 Chapter 7: Esther’s Last Memory

    <h4>Chapter 7: Esther¡¯s Last Memory</h4>


    The gilded doors of the shrine opened automatically as Xander made his way up the marble stairs. A bright golden light flooded his face as he put a foot in the doorway. It was so intense that he had to shade his eyes with the back of his palm.


    [Wee to the Shrine of Kiya]


    [Let the light guide you, O weary traveler.]


    Gradually, the light dimmed, and Xander peered through his fingers with squinted eyes. The shrine was made entirely of polished white marble and had six Doric pirs with figures of winged infants supporting the ceiling.


    On the other end was a rectangr altar with intricate carvings on all sides. Standing in front of it, with her back turned towards the Dreamwalker, was a woman clothed in radiant white raiment.


    As Xander approached the mysterious woman, his Chronica started glowing inside his jacket, and the chiming grew louder.


    "Is this your nightmare?" Xander asked.


    The woman slowly turned around and looked at the Dreamwalker with eyes glistening with tears. It was the same woman whose body had been found hanging from the ceiling.


    "You''ve found me, at longst. I thought you''d nevere," she spoke softly, her voice bearing a somber mncholy.


    "You didn''t exactly make it easy for me," Xander sniped.


    "I didn''t want to trouble you. But this world is not under my control. I am trapped here, same as you." The woman took two steps forward and touched Xander on his left shoulder. "Such a fine young man. I wish we''d met when I was alive."


    "I hate to break your heart, but you''re not really my type," Xander quipped. "I''m sorry for what happened to you," he added as an afterthought.


    The woman smiled at this and pulled her hand back. "I''m d you came. I was starting to think I''d fade into the darkness without being heard again."


    "Just doing my job," Xander replied, looking straight into her eyes.


    There was a slight pause in their conversation as the woman stared back at the Dreamwalker, longingly. The sorrow buried in her heart was reflected in her downcast eyes.


    It was Xander who eventually broke the cold silence. "I need to know what happened. Who killed you, and how?"


    The woman shook her head. "I don''t know who killed me. All I remember is going to bedst night and...never waking up."


    "How''s that possible?" Xander furrowed his brow in confusion. "You''re inside a Death Nightmare. There''s no way you died of natural causes. Someone murdered you."


    "I just remember a hot night and my throat drying up. Maybe I should have opened a window," the woman sobbed. "I really don''t know what happened."


    Every Dreamwalker knew that a person''s Last Memory never lied, but they often answered in confusing riddles and rhymes. However, this was the first time someone''s Last Memory refused to divulge the details of their death.


    Xander couldn''t tell whether she was intentionally trying to blur the truth or if she was actually clueless about her death.


    Now that he had found the Last Memory, he could finally get out of the Nightscape and go back to the real world, but if he returned without the answers, he could forget his payment.


    Instead of giving up, Xander tried to rephrase his questions to elicit a better response. "Did you have any enemies? Someone who''d love to see you dead?"


    The woman shook her head.


    "Did someone break into your housest night? Did you hear something unusual?"


    The woman shook her head again.


    Things were starting to get frustrating now, but Xander wasn''t ready to ept defeat so easily. Taking a deep breath, he sighed, "Alright, let''s start from the beginning. My name''s Xander Nyxon. What''s yours?"


    "Esther...Rayne," she answered.


    "Do you have any family?"


    "Just my uncle," she replied softly. "He is a good man."


    Everything checked out so far. She wasn''t lying to him, but it didn''t help his cause. Xander knit his eyebrows and started putting all the pieces together in his mind.


    The presence of apletely articte ck Knight, the mention of the dreaded deity Shamura and the appearance of a Dread Lord were all indications of a sinister conspiracy at the heart of this murder.


    Though Esther seemed like an ordinary middle-aged woman, Xander had a hunch that she had much darker connections. However, what he couldn''t figure out was why her Last Memory was unable to remember the manner of her death.


    All the questions Xander had asked so far led him to nowhere meaningful. Everything about this woman''s murder was shrouded in mystery.


    Tired of shooting darts in the dark, Xander got straight to the point. "What do you know about Shamura?"


    The woman looked utterly confused by the question.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," she replied in a feeble voice.


    Xander noticed that her presence was fading. This Last Memory had lingered long enough and didn''t have much time left.


    "Alright, were you ever a part of any cults? Maybe someone in your family? Or perhaps you had any special relic or book in your possession?"


    The rapid volley of questions left the woman dazed. "My mother was a Priestess of Cynthia. We never associated with any cultists," she spoke after a while and showed Xander her right wrist which had a six-sided star imprinted on it.


    This revtion made everything even more confusing. There was no way a family devoted to Goddess Cynthia would ever have any connections with the dark deity Shamura.


    Suddenly, a thought shed in Xander''s mind. Perhaps this woman had been killed as a sacrificial offering to appease Shamura. But he couldn''t be sure about it without any solid evidence.


    Thinking long and hard, Xander asked, "Were you having any strange nightmares before your death? Something repetitive?"


    "No nightmares," she replied, shaking her head. Then as if struck by an afterthought, she looked up at Xander. "There was this vision though. In it, I think I saw a ruined temple...and a statue of a three-headed dragon in front of it."


    "That''s a temple dedicated to Mordred, the Lord of Terror. What else did you see?"


    She was about to answer when suddenly the ground started trembling. The walls of the temple cracked from side to side, and a portion of the ceiling copsed behind the Dreamwalker.


    "No no no! This can''t be happening now!" Xander cried out in frustration. "Tell me, what else did you see?"


    She tried to answer, but all she managed to utter was a monosybic whisper. The pirs holding the ceiling in ce sloped their heads to their foundations as the shrine was hit by another tremor.


    Chunks of debris started raining down all around Xander. The Dreamwalker kept begging the Last Memory for an answer, but the woman''s body turned transparent. She was about to fade into nothingness when Xander grabbed her by the hand.


    Pulling out his Chronica, the Dreamwalker chanted aloud, "Free me from this nightmare as I free this Last Memory from death. Into the light. Into the light. Into the light!"


    Soon the ceiling came crashing down, and the shrine copsed into a heap of rubble.


    ***


    "Xander? Xander? Talk to me, damn it!"


    The Dreamwalker opened his eyes on the other side, gasping for air. His clothes were drenched in sweat, and his lips parched with thirst. As he slowly looked around, his eyes fell on Detective Locksley.


    "Wee back. You good?"


    Xander nodded and took the detective''s hand. "Never better," he sighed, pulling himself up.

 Chapter 8: Department of Mystical Affairs

    <h4>Chapter 8: Department of Mystical Affairs</h4>


    Returning to the real world should have eased Xander''s nerves, but his heart still kept racing inside his chest. As he tried to stand back up, he felt a sharp pain in his right leg.


    On lifting his jeans he noticed that his ankle had been badly scarred. It was the same ce where the Dread Lord''s chain whip hadtched onto his leg.


    "How is this possible?" he gasped in shock.


    Once a Dreamwalker returned to the real world, all his wounds healed automatically. This was the first time his injuries had carried over from the Nightscape.


    "What''s wrong?" Detective Locksley asked. But before he could take a look at Xander''s leg, he quickly lowered his jeans.


    "I was right. She has been murdered," Xander said, looking at the detective.


    "Did you find out who did it?"


    Though Esther''s Last Memory hadn''t been able to reveal the mystery behind her murder, Xander knew he couldn''t tell the truth, or he risked losing his payment. Instead of lying outright, he tried to twist his words.


    "It wasn''t anyone close to her. I believe this might be linked to one of her possessions. Once I search her bedroom, I might be able to¡ª"


    "There''s no need for that. You''ve already outstayed your wee, Dreamwalker," a scornful female voice interrupted him.


    Xander and Detective Locksley turned around together, and their eyes fell on an ivory-skinneddy with short white hair. She was dressed in a perfectly fitted red zer and a pair of sleek ck trousers. Standing beside her were her two junior officers wearing red leather jackets and carrying crossbows on their backs.


    Eileen walked up to Xander and raised her eyebrow condescendingly. "Your kind are truly pathetic. You just can''t stop poking your noise in other people''s business, can you?"


    Detective Locksley was quick toe to Xander''s aid. "This is my case, Ms. Ei¡ª"


    "It doesn''t matter. I am here now, and since you involved a Dreamwalker in this mess, it falls under my jurisdiction." The woman shed a shiny silver badge shaped like the crescent moon, and introduced herself, "I am Eileen Williams, Chief Investigator at the Department of Mystical Affairs. Please state what business brings you to this crime scene."


    The Department of Mystical Affairs was a special enforcement wing whose only job was to investigate matters involving Mystics. They were notorious for their ruthlessness and every single Mystic in Somnium knew these agents were prejudiced against all Talent-wielders.


    When this special department was created, the government''s main goal was to ensure the safety of the Ordinaires¡ªthe ordinary people who weren''t gifted with Talents.


    However, over the course of time, the DMA started bing more prejudiced, and by now it was clear that they enjoyed persecuting Mystics even if they werepletely innocent.


    Up until this very day, Xander had avoided crossing paths with the DMA agents, but now it seemed fate itself had ordained this encounter. At least Xander could still consider himself to be lucky since the cops were on his side. Things would have ended a lot differently if the Red Jackets had caught him all alone.


    "I asked him to¡ª"


    "I don''t think I asked you anything." Detective Locksley tried toe to Xander''s aid, but Eileen was having none of it. "Now, please cooperate with me, Dreamwalker," she added with a note of condescension in her voice.


    Xander kept his calm and replied, "I was helping the Detective solve this case."


    "Ohh, were you?" Eileen sneered. "I didn''t know you were a member of the Faros Police Department. My apologies, officer."


    "I''m not with the FPD. I was just¡ª"


    "You were just trying to mislead a bunch of ipetent cops with your borately crafted lies. I know who you are. You''re a God damn Dreamwalker. A good-for-nothing Mystic who makes a living by cheating the superstitious."


    "Watch your tongue!" Xander finally snapped. "I''m not a fraud. I can talk to their Last Memories."


    "I''ve heard that nonsense before." Eileen stared him down. "Why don''t you prove your worth? Tell me how she died."


    "Her name is Esther Rayne. She didn''tmit suicide. This was a murder," Xander said without a second thought.


    Eileen folded her arms one on top of the other and sniped, "So, you must have a name. Tell me, who killed her?"


    Detective Locksley looked at the Dreamwalker withplete confidence, but Xander realized he was about to let him down. Instead of replying to Eileen''s question, he chose to remain silent.


    "What''s wrong, Dreamwalker? A ghost got your tongue?" Eileen sneered. "Tell me anything; just anything rted to the case that these officers don''t know already."


    Xander balled his fist and grumbled, "She was probably killed by a cult."


    "A cult?" Eileen scoffed. "And this cult''s got a name?"


    "It''s a cult that worships Shamura," Xander replied.


    "Shamura? That make-believe Goddess that you Dreamwalkers talk about to scare the non-Mystics?"


    "Shamura isn''t fake. She is as real as the deities we worship in our world. And someone is trying to free her from her prison."


    "You really are a fascinating storyteller. But I''m not a fool like these gullible officers. You''ll have to do better than that." Eileen raised her left eyebrow and turned away from Xander with a look of revulsion on her face. She looked at the agent standing outside the door and instructed, "James, please escort the Dreamwalker out of the crime scene and take him into custody. He has a lot to answer for."


    As the young officer moved in to arrest the Dreamwalker, Detective Locksley stepped in. "He is here on my request. I will not let you take him into custody. If you want to remove him from the premises, you''ll need a warrant."


    "You''re stepping on my toes, Detective. And I don''t like when people do that," Eileen responded, checking her sharp tongue at thest moment.


    "I think you''re the one crossing the line here," Detective Locksley replied promptly.


    Things were starting to heat up when a sleek ck sedan with chrome gray wheels pulled up outside the apartment. A tall, elderly man in a striped blue suit, wearing gold-rimmed spectacles stepped out of the vehicle, along with a young police officer in uniform.


    Detective Locksley and the other officers of the FPD immediately stiffened up and saluted the man who had stepped out of the car.


    "I''m sorry for the mess. We weren''t expecting you so early, Chief," Detective Locksley spoke with the utmost respect.


    The Chief of Police, however, didn''t seem too pleased. Without even bothering to reply to the detective, he turned to Eileen with a displeased look on his face.


    "I don''t remember asking for your assistance. This doesn''t concern you," he spoke curtly.


    Eileen was a feisty woman, one who wasn''t ustomed to being pushed over, but even she knew her limitations. Getting on Chief Volgin''s bad side was thest thing she needed.


    "I understand that this case is beyond my jurisdiction, but your officer just invited a Dreamwalker to help him out. And that''s the reason I had to get involved, Chief," Eileen replied in a subdued tone, careful not to step out of line.


    The Chief of Police slowly turned away from her and fixed his piercing gaze on the Detective. "What do you have to say about that usation?"


    "It''s true. I called the Dreamwalker to help us out. But I assure you, I haven''t been neglecting my duties. I just wanted to be sure," the Detective replied, lowering his gaze.


    Unlike Eileen, Chief Volgin had nothing against the Mystics. Whenever he could, he chose to ignore them. And the Dreamwalkers were no exception to this rule. However, he wasn''t toofortable having an outsider raise questions about his department.


    Instead of reprimanding Detective Locksley in front of the outsiders, Chief Volgin requested Eileen and her agents to leave.


    Though Eileen wanted to catch Xander with his pants down, she knew it was unwise to step on Chief Volgin''s toes. "I will keep an eye on you, Dreamwalker. Until we meet again," she said as she begrudgingly left the apartment.


    "Now, tell me what this is all about," the Chief said, turning to the Detective again.


    "Well, this guy over here is a Dreamwalker. His name is Xander Nyxon. He was helping me solve the murder."


    The Chief was shocked to hear those words. "Murder? What do you mean by that?" He nced at his niece''s body again and asked, "What makes you think she was murdered?"


    Detective Locksley turned to the Dreamwalker in response.


    Xander adjusted his locks and zipped his jacket before addressing the Chief of Police. "Your niece was murdered. I found her Last Memory trapped inside a Death Nightmare."


    "A Death...Nightmare?" the Chief asked cluelessly.


    "When a person dies of natural causes ormits suicide, a fragment of their soul is trapped inside a Dream. That''s what we call a Death Dream. However, when someone is murdered or has an idental death, their Last Memory gets trapped inside a nightmare. We Dreamwalkers refer to that as a Death Nightmare," Xander exined to the best of his abilities.


    The Chief had heard plenty of tales about Dreamwalkers, some of which were too far-fetched to be believable, but he had also encountered several people who swore the Dreamwalkers never lied.


    Reserving his final judgment, Chief Volgin uttered a feeble, ''Continue.''


    "I spoke to Esther''s Last Memory inside the Nightscape. Her nightmare wasn''t normal. There were Ethereals who didn''t belong there," Xander went on. "I think she was offered as a sacrifice by a cult."


    The old Chief furrowed his brow and frowned at Xander. "You better know where you''re going with this one. She was like a daughter to me," his voice cracked as he continued.


    "I''m not lying."


    "Why would a cult want to sacrifice her?"


    "To appease Shamura," Xander replied, looking straight at the Chief.


    Chief Volgin didn''t like his niece''s name being dragged through the dirt. He would have been perfectly satisfied knowing it was a suicide, but the Dreamwalker''s usation was starting to make things veryplicated.


    Over his long career spanning thirty years, he had dealt with quite a few cases involving cults, most of whose details he''d forgotten, but the name Shamura rang an unpleasant bell.


    "It''s the Goddess of Nightmares that you''re talking about. I''ve heard about her," the Chief replied. "What would a cult worshipping Shamura want with my niece? Why was she targeted when there are plenty of more vulnerable people in Faros?"


    "I don''t know that...yet," Xander replied. "But I''ll try my best to find out."


    "Do you know who murdered her? The weapon used for the crime? Anything more substantial?" The Chief''s gaze was fixed on the Dreamwalker, and it made him extremely ufortable.


    "She couldn''t answer my questions," Xander uttered a feeble reply. Lying to Detective Locksley was a piece of cake, but he realized Chief Volgin was a lot more perceptive and didn''t dare to try his tricks with him.


    Turning to look at his niece''s lifeless body, the Chief of Police spoke in a heavy voice. "I''ll give you an hour to conduct your investigations. If you don''t manage to find any concrete evidence to prove that she was murdered, I''ll throw you in jail myself."


    "You need to trust me. We don''t lie about¡ª"


    "I''ve heard a lot about you Dreamwalkers. But I only trust evidence." Chief Volgin looked at his watch and repeated his ultimatum. "You have one hour, Xander Nyxon. Get to it."

 Chapter 9: A shot in the dark

    <h4>Chapter 9: A shot in the dark</h4>


    Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, Xander had no choice but to back his instincts and take a leap of faith. He agreed to investigate the apartment and look for clues that might lead them to the killer.


    Being a Dreamwalker had its perks, but most of it was essentially useless in the real world. Despite having helped the Detective solve several cases in the past, he didn''t have any experience conducting investigations on this side of the veil.


    Since the officers had already investigated the immediate scene of the crime, Xander decided to start afresh by taking the wooden stairs and making his way to the bedroom.


    Out of all the areas in a house, the bedroom was the only ce that had special significance for Dreamwalkers. It was here the otherworldly aura was at its strongest. However, Xander knew it would need a lot more than gut instincts to find a clue in this room.


    With no leads to follow, Xander was shooting in the dark, but it was better than nothing.


    Apanied by Detective Locksley, Xander unlocked the door to the bedroom and started scanning the room for any signs of struggle.


    Everything looked perfect. The creased bed sheet and crumpled pillow suggested that the bed had been slept in, but there was no trace of any outsider being present in this room.


    Xander carefully checked the bedside table and even looked under the bed, but he couldn''t find any clue.


    "What happened this time?" Detective Locksley asked. "You always return with answers."


    "I told you, her Last Memory refused to answer my questions," Xander replied, a bit annoyed.


    "How''s that possible? You Dreamwalkers say that the Last Memory always leads you to the truth. Why would her memory refuse to answer?" The Detective picked the lock of an old wooden cupboard and started searching inside.


    Without looking up from the floor, Xander replied, "I don''t think she had the answers to begin with. I think she truly didn''t know how she died."


    "How the hell is that possible?" Detective Locksley turned around and gave Xander a questioning side-eye. "What are you hiding from us?"


    "I''m not hiding anything!" Xander stood up and looked directly at the Detective. "Maybe the attacker took her by surprise. Maybe she was poisoned. You''re the cop. You do the brainstorming."


    Detective Locksley red at him. "I wouldn''t have called you here if you weren''t going to be of any help. Now I have the Chief¡ª"


    "Hold on." Something about the bedroom struck Xander, and he got back on his feet. "The bed has been slept in. Her Last Memory sounded quite calm as well. A bit too calm. What if...What if she was murdered in her sleep?"


    "The murderer would have left some clues then. But we didn''t find anything. And the doors were all locked from the inside."


    "What about the windows?"


    "They are all fitted with iron grills. The only murderous creature that can slip through them is a cat. You''re really throwing¡ª"


    "Stand back." Xander was suddenly seized by an idea. Uncorking a slender ss vial, he proceeded to sprinkle handfuls of silver-gray dust all over the discolored white carpet on the floor.


    "What are you doing? What the hell is that powder?" the Detective asked, visibly confused by Xander''s antics.


    "This vial contains the Ashes of Amara. They can sense the presence of magic energy," Xander replied, continuing his task. He sprinkled the ashes on every corner of the room, covering not just the carpet but the floor as well.


    "I don''t understand how that will help¡ª"


    The Detective''s words were pushed back into his throat as he saw ck spots appearing over the carpet. They started as little smudges at first and then turned into dark ck stains.


    "Just as I suspected," Xander said, picking up a handful of the ckened dust. "This is bad."


    "What does it mean? These ck spots on the carpet?"


    "It means Esther wasn''t alone at night. She was visited by a Mystic. And quite a powerful one at that," Xander replied, holding the ash in his palm. "The ashes only turn ck in the presence of forbidden magic."


    "So...it was a Talent user?" the Detective asked, his face clouded with doubt and disbelief.


    "Yep, it was a Mystic for sure," Xander replied, blowing the ashes away. Shifting his eyes toward the bed, he stared at the pillow. "The pillow is still in ce. Exactly at the head of the bed."


    The Detective again looked at Xander with curiosity burning bright in his dim ck eyes. "What are you trying to suggest?"


    "For most people, pillows never remain in ce while they''re sleeping. It should have moved." Xander flipped the pillow upside down and noticed a red smudge on its corner. "It looks like lipstick," he said, turned to face the Detective. "She was murdered in her sleep. And what better way to do it than suffocate her to death?"


    "You mean, the murderer used the pillow as a weapon?"


    "It looks probable. If Esther had been poisoned, she would''ve felt something¡ª some pain or at least some sort of mild difort. Or there would have been some other symptoms."


    Another thought came to Xander''s mind as he recalled hisst conversation with Esther''s Last Memory. She had clearly mentioned it being a hot night and her throat drying up.


    Everything fell into ce now. Xander looked at the open window beside her bed, and it confirmed his suspicion. "She said she should have opened a windowst night. It was too hot for her. But the window was already open when we got here."


    "So you mean the killer entered through the window?"


    "I don''t know how the killer got inside," Xander replied, taking a good look around the room. "But I do know how she died. If she was feeling hot and thirsty even though it was a cold night and there was a window open, it can only mean one thing. She died of suffocation. I couldn''t connect the dots before, but now it makesplete sense. She was suffocated to death and then her corpse was hanged from the ceiling to make it look like suicide."


    Detective Locksley put on a pair of whitetex gloves and picked up the pillow. "I''ll send this down to the forensicb. What else can you tell me?"


    "Nothing that I haven''t mentioned already," Xander replied. "She was murdered by a Mystic, one with close associations to Shamura. I''ve already done my job. The rest is up to you, Detective."


    At this point, they were joined by the Chief of Police himself. Chief Volgin walked into the bedroom and fixed his eyes on the Dreamwalker. "It''s been over thirty minutes. What have you found out?"


    Xander repeated all his findings to the Chief and handed him another vial of the silvery gray dust. "Please request your officers to spread it on the floor below. I''m sure you''ll find more traces of forbidden magic."


    After hearing everything, Chief Volgin stiffened his lips. "You''re making quite a serious usation. If the murderer was indeed a Mystic, the DMA wille knocking on my doors pretty soon. It''s gonna cause a lot of uproar amongst the public."


    "That''s none of my concern, Chief. I''ve already done my job. How you handle your associates is entirely up to you." Xander stretched out his hand. "My services don''te free. Twenty Thousand vireks."


    "But you¡ª"


    Detective Locksley was about to correct Xander about the sum he had previously requested, but the Dreamwalker gave him a sideways re to shut him up. The Detective immediately bit his tongue and looked away.


    The Chief was too distraught over his niece''s death and didn''t want to haggle with a Dreamwalker at this time. He took out twenty crisp white notes from his pocket and handed them to Xander.


    "I''m trusting you against my better judgment. If your words don''t add up, I will find you and make you regret it," he warned in his baritone voice.


    Xander however, didn''t seem the least bit frightened. "Detective Locksley has my number and address. Good luck with your case."


    With those parting words, Xander walked out of the room and climbed down the stairs. Though he wanted to learn more about this mysterious murderer, he didn''t want to get too close to the cops.


    In the end, he decided to walk away with his payment before someone else came looking for him.


    Xander was about to exit the door when Chief Volgin''s voice arrested his steps.


    "Just a minute, Dreamwalker. Does this mean anything to you?"


    Xander slowly turned around and saw the Chief of Police standing on the stairs with a gold ne in his hand. However, what caught his attention wasn''t the ne itself but the red feather-shaped medallion attached to it.

 Chapter 10: A friendly favor

    <h4>Chapter 10: A friendly favor</h4>


    Xander kept staring at the medallion. He had seen it before, but couldn''t recall where.


    Chief Volgin repeated his question and walked down the stairs. Holding the medallion in front of the Dreamwalker''s face, he added, "Esther was having trouble sleeping a few weeks ago, so she called a Dreamwalker to help her. He told her to wear this medallion before going to bed. I thought I''d find it on her...body, but it was lying on the bathroom floor. It must have slipped out while she was showering."


    "We don''t give medallions to people having trouble sleeping. These trinkets are just eyewash. No Dreamwalker would suggest wearing a medallion to get rid of sleeping troubles," Xander responded.


    After staring intently at the medallion for a good few minutes, he wrapped his palm around it. It was warm and smooth, almost as if it had been polished recently.


    "Did she say why she was having trouble sleeping? Was she having any recurring nightmares?" Xander asked.


    "Nope, she just kept waking up in the middle of the night, covered in sweat. Took her to a doctor first and then a shrink as well. They didn''t find anything wrong with her. She was perfectly healthy."


    Another Dreamwalker being involved in this was thest thing Xander needed. Though it didn''t necessarily implicate him in the murder, it was bound to arouse the Chief''s suspicion.


    Instead of beating around the bush, Xander got straight to the point. "What do you want from me?"


    The Chief took two steps forward and replied in a stern voice, "When you mentioned the involvement of a Mystic, it sparked my memory. Took me a while to turn back the pages, but it eventually came back to me. That Dreamwalker was the only Mystic who visited her house two weeks ago. I need you to find him for me. Can you do that?"


    "I am not in touch with all the other Dreamwalkers in Somnium. He could be anywhere. It would be like finding a needle in a haystack."


    Chief Volgin didn''t seem too pleased with Xander''s reply. "Use your contacts. I''m sure you''ll find some clues about his whereabouts. Even a name will do."


    Xander put the ne and medallion inside his pocket and said, "I''ll see what I can do. But no promises."


    As he was about to walk away, the Chief spoke from behind. "If you fail to provide any information, I''ll have to resort to other methods. I think Eileen would like to have a chat with you. I hear her people are really good at interrogating Mystics."


    A scowl appeared on Xander''s face, but he somehow suppressed his anger and walked out of the apartment without making any replies.


    He was able to breathe easy again once he was out on the streets. However, he knew he had bitten off more than he could chew this time.


    Without waiting a minute longer, Xander hailed a cab near Irkwing Crossing. The roads were nearly empty due to the harsh cold, but those who had important meetings to attend, were rushing to their offices in private sedans.


    On his way home, Xander kept thinking about the strange feather-shaped medallion. And then he remembered. He had seen a picture of it in his sister''s old diary. Though he wanted to look at the medallion again, he controlled the urge to take it out in front of a stranger.


    The cabbie dropped him off at Ravenmore Street, a cobbled road nked by Oranore Trees. Even at this time of the year, their leaves were vibrant green, and Silverwing Butterflies were dancing around their honeyed branches.


    Xander lived in a cozy two-bedroom apartment on the second floor. It was one of those old concrete buildings with narrow staircases and small rectangr windows with sliding ss panes.


    Climbing the stairs, Xander walked up to a peach-colored door with a small eyehole in the middle. He knocked thrice, with each subsequent raping after a two-second interval.


    After a minute, the door eventually opened, and a little girl with two blue pigtails opened the door. She was barely more than six and had the sweetest of smiles that poked a cute dimple on her charming face.


    "Good morning, Uncle Xander," she said with a yawn.


    "Good morning, Tiva. I am sorry for waking you up like this," Xander replied, patting her on the head, a gesture she initially used to dislike, but had grown used to over thest few months. "So, have you been a good girl?"


    Stretching herzy arms out, she turned away from Xander. "You know I''m always good. But you''ve been up to your tricks again."


    Xander noticed the slight change in her tone. She didn''t sound pleased.


    "What are you talking about? I was just out there taking a walk." He tried to weave a lie on the spot, but Tiva wasn''t having it.


    Without even turning back, she replied, "I know you snuck out of your room to solve one of your weird cases."


    Xander couldn''t help but giggle at this. Closing the door behind him, he followed little Tiva to the living room. "You''re really bing a clever little girl. I can see you getting a boyfriend soon."


    Tiva turned around and made a funny face. "I don''t like boys. They are always fighting with each other and acting gross."


    Xanderughed aloud and sat down on the couch. "You''re gonna grow up to be a handful, Tiva." Picking the little girl up, he ced her beside him and smiled. "I''m sorry for leaving you all alone. It was urgent."


    "Whatever, go take a shower. You stink," Tiva said, scrunching her nose. "I''ll take the cereal out for you."


    The more Xander listened to Tiva talk, the more he was reminded of her mother, Xander''s elder sister. He couldn''t believe how simr they were. It was as if Nelly had created a little duplicate.


    Those old memories flooded Xander''s mind, but this time he didn''t let his thoughts overwhelm him. Instead, he took a deep breath and got up from the couch.


    "Tiva, I have some urgent work. Why don''t you watch some TV while I''m in my room?"


    "No..." She said, making a grumpy face. "I will get bored soon. You promised we''ll spend the day together."


    Xander knew there was no winning against this stubborn little girl, so he didn''t even try. Picking up the cordless ck phone on the table, he called up one of his only friends.


    "Hey, Leena. I need a favor. I was wondering if you coulde over to my ce."


    A groggy female voice answered with jumbled words. "Ahmm...I need to see it. Yeah. What time is it?"


    "It''s ten. You should get up now."


    "It''s my weekend. I wanna stay in bed," she mumbled.


    "I brought some work home. I really need you to look after Tiva while I''m busy."


    Hearing those words, Leena opened her eyes wide and sat up straight on her bed. "What the hell have you done this time?"


    "It''s nothing. I just need to check out a medallion. It''s connected to a murder," he whispered as softly as he could so that Tiva wouldn''t overhear him.


    Leena immediately threw her nket aside and jumped down from her bed. "I''ming. Don''t even think about starting before I get there!"

 Chapter 11: Secrets of the medallion

    <h4>Chapter 11: Secrets of the medallion</h4>


    Leena lived on the other side of the city, andmuting across Faros in the morning was always painstakingly slow due to the rush hour traffic.


    On any other asion, she would have preferred to ride the tram, but understanding the urgency of the situation she decided to spend the extra cash and take the express cab service.


    Before the clock could strike twelve, Leena showed up at Xander''s doorstep.


    Leena Hayden was only a year younger than Xander, but her innocent eyes and freckled face made her look just like a teenager. She wasn''t the prettiest face in town but had aforting and homely appearance.


    Dressed in a fluffy white cardigan and a pair of blue denims she looked just like a young college student. Xander had known her for four years now and was she probably his only friend in this world.


    As Xander opened the door, Leena looked at him breathlessly. "I came as fast...as I could. You really...shouldn''t be bringing your work home."


    "You need to catch your breath. Come inside and grab a drink," Xander said, ushering her in.


    Tiva was delighted to see Leena. Though she usually regarded almost every adult with suspicion, Leena had managed to make an exception in her book.


    As soon as Tiva saw her, she greeted her with a gleeful smile. "It''s been such a long time, Ms. Leena. I missed you so much," she trilled in excitement and ran up to her.


    Leena got down on her knees and gave her favorite kid a tight hug. "I''ve missed you too, my cuddle bunny. Gosh, you''ve grown so tall."


    "You literally saw her just four months ago," Xander remarked from behind.


    "That''s a really long time in my book. It''s not just four months. It''s over a hundred days," Leena replied. Fixing her loving gaze on the little girl, she added, "I know Uncle Xander can be a real pain in the butt sometimes. If you ever feel lonely, just give me a call, and I''ll pick you up. We can go to your favorite ice cream shop."


    "I would love that, Ms. Leena!" Tiva eximed excitedly.


    "You can just call me Leena. The miss makes me sound super old," Leena said scrunching her nose yfully.


    "Okay, Leena. You''re the best!" Tiva threw her hands around Leena''s neck and held her tight.


    Xander felt happy to see Tiva so excited. He didn''t want to interrupt them, but unfortunately, his work couldn''t wait.


    "Tiva, why don''t you go tidy your room? I need to talk to Leena about something important."


    Hearing Xander''s words, Tiva''s expression changed into a frown. She looked at him with annoyance and replied, "You never share your work stories with me. How mean!"


    "Hey, I''ll tell you some of my stories today. You just do what Uncle Xander says, and we will spend the whole afternoon together." Leena was quick toe to Xander''s rescue.


    Tiva''s face immediately lit up with excitement. "You promise?"


    "I swear on Larosh," Leena replied, raising her left hand.


    That was all the encouragement Tiva needed to dart into her room and set to work cleaning her bed.


    Finally alone, Xander took Leena to his room. Shutting the door, he turned on the lights and pulled out the ne from his pocket.


    Leena stared at the medallion with interest. A tingling sensation ran down her spine as she touched it. "I can sense magic in this item. Where exactly did you find it?"


    "It''s from a murder scene," Xander replied. "They found a woman hanging from the ceiling in her own apartment."


    "Wait...You entered another Death Nightmare?" Leena''s eyes widened as they focused on the Dreamwalker.


    "The pay was good. Twenty thousand vireks. I thought it would be business as usual."


    "And?"


    "Well, there was something wrong with this nightmare."


    "What?" Leena held her breath as she waited for Xander''s reply.


    He answered after a long pause. "I encountered a Dread Lord inside the nightmare. Plus, the Last Memory was unable to answer my questions."


    "A Dread Lord? The ones living in the underworld?" Leena asked. "You know no one has ever seen a Dread¡ª"


    "I know what I saw. He nearly killed me."


    Xander''s reply stunned Leena. She realized Xander had gotten himself involved in some dark business. "I keep telling you to stop taking such cases, but you never listen! Why can''t you take on simpler jobs like me?"


    Leena was a Dreamwalker as well, but she never took on any criminal cases. Her clients mostly consisted of old people with sleeping disorders and ambitious youngsters who wanted to know more about their dreams and desires.


    It was a lot safer for her since she rarely ever dealt with nightmares. On most days she would be sauntering through wild open Dreamscapes and solving riddles and puzzles.


    Things werepletely opposite for Xander. His was a dangerous job. One where he had to deal with violent Ethereals inside terrifying Nightscapes.


    Leena was ready to tear into Xander and give him an earful, but Xander lowered his gaze and went quiet. After a minute of overbearing silence, he finally spoke again.


    "I need the money. You know I''m not doing this for me. I want to send Tiva to the best schools and colleges, and I want to give her everything she could ever want. And..." Xander''s voice faltered for a moment as his heart skipped a beat. "She needs that surgery before she turns seven, or she''ll never be able to¡ª


    "It''s fine. Don''t say it," Leena cut in before Xander couldplete his sentence. She already knew that Tiva had a serious medical condition and needed a heart transnt soon. It was the reason behind Xander being so willing to risk his life for money.


    Sweeping his dark thoughts away, Xander focused on the medallion again. "I saw a simr drawing in my sister''s diary. Hold on to this for me."


    Xander pulled out a cardboard box from under his bed and took out a dusty old diary bound in hard brown leather. Giving it a good whack, he opened it.


    The diary''s pages had already started turning yellow at the edges, but the writing was still crystal clear.


    Among the detailed notes and bold keywords, a few rough sketches were sticking out. One of them was exactly what Xander was looking for: the drawing of a feather-shaped medallion with the words, ''Blood Mark'' highlighted in red.


    "I knew I''d seen it before," Xander said, pointing at the sketch.


    Leena took a good look at it and asked, "Are there any details about it?"


    Xander glossed over the notes on the adjacent page but didn''t find any reference to the medallion. "There''s nothing. Just these two words under the sketch."


    "Blood Mark," Leena read out in a barely audible whisper. "I''ve read about Blood Marks before. Some objects of power are bound by the blood of their owners. These items are used to identify specific individuals belonging to certain elite family lines."


    "Why would a Mystic give such a precious item to an Ordinaire?" Xander asked.


    "I have no clue," Leena replied, shaking her head. "But you may be able to enter the owner''s memory through the medallion."


    "How?" Xander asked.


    "Well, we just have to unbind the object by using a counter spell." Leena looked hesitant to add more details, but Xander pressed the matter.


    "Leena, I really need to do this. Please help me out."


    Leena looked at Xander with worry shing in her eyes. "Is this just about the money? Because I have a feeling it won''t be worth it."


    "It''s not just about the money," Xander replied after a moment of silence. "The cops think a Mystic was involved in the murder. A Dreamwalker. And...it''s connected to Shamura."


    Leena''s eyes widened, and her face flushed as she heard thosest words. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into? This isn''t gonna end well."


    Xander grabbed the medallion from her and closed the diary. "You let me worry about that. Just tell me if you can help me enter the memory or not?"


    Leena let out a cold sigh and nodded. "Fine, I''ll chant the counter spell. But if anything goes wrong, I won''t be responsible."


    "If anything goes wrong, just take Tiva and leave," Xander replied crossing his legs on the floor and closing his eyes. "I''m ready. You can start whenever you want."


    Leena had a bad feeling about this, but she kept her word. Taking the medallion from Xander''s pocket, she whispered an ancient incantation and gently ced it on the floor before him.


    The medallion soon started glowing blood-red, and a glowing red portal opened in front of Xander.

 Chapter 12: A dark memory

    <h4>Chapter 12: A dark memory</h4>


    Leena had done her part. Even if she wanted to assist Xander, she couldn''t, because only one Dreamwalker could step through a portal at a time. If she tried to interfere, it would cause the portal to copse or destroy the bound object.


    Remembering her promise, Leena left the room to check on Tiva. She knew Xander was delving into dark matters, and there was no telling what he would face on the other side. If anything were to happen to him, Tiva would have no one left in the world except her.


    ***


    As Xander''s soul split in two, he crossed over to the other side. The void was as weing as ever, with its bleak iridescent halls pulsating with magic energy.


    Though Xander had visited hundreds of dreams and nightmares, this was his first time trying to peer into a person''s memory. Up until this day, all he had heard about memory visitations were from old schrs who spent too much time at the Mystic Libraries in the city.


    When Xander pped his hands this time, the mirror appeared as before, but it didn''t have any reflection in it. Instead of seeing himself on the ssy surface, he saw a tuft of fluffy white clouds on the other side.


    After some initial hesitation, Xander stepped through the mirror. The same infinite space with the dazzling stars twinkling in the distance appeared before him. However, not all things were the same.


    Instead of three paths, there was just one in the middle. The other two had gone missing.


    "What the hell is happening? I need my cards and weapons!"


    In response to Xander''s query, a voice whispered in his ear, "The wanderer seeks a ce lost forever. A drifting memory preserved in a fleeting bubble. Be wary lone traveler, for memories never lie."


    The ominous warning unsettled Xander for a moment, but he was desperate for answers. Ever since he''d heard the name Shamura, he had be restless.


    Though it didn''t seem wise to visit the other side unarmed, Xander backed himself and took the floating path before him. It led him to a gray stone arch that was distorting like a reflection in the water.


    "I guess there''s a first time for everything," Xander mumbled to himself and stepped in through the arch.


    On the other side, Xander found himself standing on a street in the middle of Ixis, the capital of Merantis.


    It was supposed to be a pinnacle of beauty with lofty structures and wide, well-maintained streets bordered by fruit trees. But what Xander saw before his eyes stunned him into silence.


    The luxurious multi-story hotelsy in ruins, with helpless civilians buried under the rubble. Even the Council Hall and the Citizen''s Court had been reduced to piles of debris.


    Cars and bikes were burning around him, and the trees were all leafless and barren. Even the sky was overcast with ming red clouds, and there was a vortex of ck dust swirling in the middle.


    "Where am I? What the hell happened here?" Xander''s throat dried up as he saw the wounded troops bleeding to their death at the side of the street. Some had been sliced in half, and the others looked badly burnt.


    [Wee to the fading strands of time.]


    [The Dreamwalker has entered a Dark Memory.]


    [New Objective: Navigate your way through the carnage.]


    "How can this be a memory? I went to Ixisst month. It was still in perfect condition. This is a damn lie."


    Though Xander was quite sure everything in Ixis was in order, the disturbing scenes before him made him question his convictions. A palpable sense of horror washed over his body as he watched the people around him dying.


    After a bit of initial hesitation, Xander walked up to a wounded young boy who was groaning in pain.


    "What happened here?" he asked.


    In response to Xander''s question, the boy looked at him, but words refused toe out of his drying mouth.


    "I''m gonna get you out of here," Xander said, getting down on his knees. He tried to take the boy in his arms and lift him up, but he was a lot heavier than he looked. It was as if he was trying to lift a dead log.


    It took Xander all his strength to hoist the boy off the ground. With his legs trembling under him, he hobbled forward. The weight of the boy in his arms was straining his shoulders. He could feel his muscles throbbing in pain, but he kept moving forward.


    Xander eventually stopped near a trimmed orange tree and paused to catch his breath. Putting the boy down under the shade of the tree, he took a good look at his wounds.


    The young boy hadsh marks all over his arms. It looked like he had been whipped repeatedly by something with a sharp tip. There were scars all over his body, and his clothes were soaked in blood.


    "What kind of monster would hurt a little boy."


    Suddenly, the sound of a flute reached Xander''s ears. It wasing from the direction of the Governor''s Residence.


    Xander immediately stood up and darted his eyes toward the direction of the music.


    Walking down the street were a group of bald, middle-aged men wearing blood-red robes. The ones in the front were staring in his direction while the ones at the back had hoods pulled over their heads and were blindfolded.


    All these men were holding white candles before them and had strange tattoos on their foreheads.


    Xander felt uneasy just looking at them. He wasn''t entirely sure of their intentions, but they certainly didn''t look friendly.


    To avoid being spotted, Xander hid behind a fruit cart at the side of the road. Keeping his body behind cover, he peeked over the cart''s top to observe the five robed figures.


    The three blindfolded men spread out to form a triangle with each of them forming a separate point. Meanwhile, the other two took their position in the middle of the triangle and fell on their knees.


    cing the candles on the ground, they started chanting rhythmically in a strangenguage that resembled Old Meraki.


    A minute into their chanting, the skies darkened and the streets lit up with shes of violet lightning. A winged creature flew down andnded on the ground before them. Its back was turned toward Xander, but he could see that it had human features.


    The two bald men in robes immediately stopped chanting. One of them remained on the floor, while the other got up to greet their visitor.


    "The city is yours, my Lord. We have done our part."


    The winged individual nodded in acknowledgment and replied, "You''ve done well. My mistress is pleased with your devotion. Her army will soon sweep over the whole nation and cleanse it of all pretenders."


    "We are yours tomand, Lord Zorril," the hooded man replied, bowing before the winged one.


    That name sent shivers down Xander''s spine. His blood turned cold inside his veins as his face flushed in horror. Zorril wasn''t a being from this world. He was one of Shamura''s generals.


    And if Zorril was in Ixis, it could only mean one thing. The dark deity had been awakened from her eternal slumber and was preparing to cross over to the real world.

 Chapter 13: Fire and Ash

    <h4>Chapter 13: Fire and Ash</h4>


    Like a dream dissipating into nothingness at the first light of the approaching day, the memory copsed into absence. The scene shifted in seconds, and Xander was thrown into the middle of a battlefield.


    The Dreamwalker''s eyes widened, and his throat ran dry as he beheld the dreaded sight before his eyes. Hundreds upon hundreds of Headless Pdins were galloping across the ins of Az, riding on their armored stallions.


    Flying above the horsemen were Death Stalkers, nimble ck wyverns with forked serpentine tongues. These fell monsters were heralds of Shamura and brought death wherever they went.


    For a moment, Xander froze in ce, his heart racing inside his chest and his palms cold with sweat.


    The ring of battle horns finally shattered the Dreamwalker''s stupor, rousing him into action. He turned around and saw heavy tanks rolling onto the battlefield from the other side. They were followed by a mob of angry young men, screaming and charging into battle with their rifles in hand.


    It didn''t take Xander long to realize what was happening. Shamura''s army had invaded the real world, and the Imperial Army of Merantis was throwing everything it had in its arsenal to stop her minions.


    Xander quickly held up his right arm and made a fist to bring up his system disy. The same objective was disyed on the glowing white panel.


    [Objective: Navigate your way through the carnage.]


    "And how the hell am I supposed to do that? I don''t have any weapons!" Xander cried out in frustration.


    Almost instantly, a weapon materialized before him. It was a slender steel dagger with a pointed tip and a curved ivory handle.


    "Is this some kind of twisted wish fulfillment? What the hell am I gonna do with a bloody knife?"


    With the two armies closing in from both sides, Xander had no option but to grab the dagger as ast resort.


    To test if the de had any kind of hidden enchantment, Xander shed the air from left to right and stabbed straight down the middle, but nothing happened.


    "You''ve gotta be kidding me!"


    Xander wasn''t one to panic easily, but the dire situation made him freak out. He was sure he was going to get trampled by the horses or ttened under the steel treads of the rumbling battle tanks.


    Suddenly, his system panel split in two and disyed a new choice.


    [Choose your allegiance:]


    [1. Shamura''s Shadow]


    [2. The Imperial Army.]


    Xander didn''t know if the memory was ying a trick on him or if his system was trying to help him out. With time running out of his hands, he was forced to make a choice based on his gut instinct.


    [Allegiance selected:]


    [The Imperial Army of Merantis.]


    [Bonus Objective: Repel the opposing army.]


    A bright white sh blinded Xander, his feet were lifted off the ground, and he felt a mysterious energy enveloping his body.


    When Xander opened his eyes again, he was sitting on top of an armored Griffin, nked on both sides by dozens of other Griffin Riders armed with enchanted spears emitting sparks of lightning.


    Xander realized that by choosing the Imperial Army, he had now willingly be a participant in this battle. He had been assigned to the Thunder Guards, the country''s most elite aerial raiding unit that wasposed of veteran Beastmasters and other highly skilled Mystics.


    A piercing whistle brought the straying Griffins back into formation. Xander clutched the reins of his beast and looked down. The tanks had already started engaging the Headless Pdins.


    The lush green field was being peppered with explosions as the tanks fired their main cannons. The dark cavalry units charging into battle were taking a heavy beating from their opponents.


    It seemed like the Imperial Army had the situation under control and was going to crush the horsemen with ease. But things quickly took a drastic turn.


    A wall of fire erupted on the battlefield, splitting the lush green in into two halves. The lightly armored tanks on the frontline tried to push through but soon realized it was a terrible mistake.


    As soon as the flying Death Stalkers spotted the armored vehicles crossing into their territory, they struck them with dark energy bolts from above. The tanks were blown to smithereens, and the fallen crewmen were raised from the dead and transformed into walking corpses enveloped in faint green miasma.


    The re-animated bodies soon turned against the living and started hobbling across the battlefield in search of prey. Rifles raged in the distance as the infantrymen fired at the shambling corpses. But despite being riddled with bullets they refused to go down.


    Xander watched in horror as the undead pounced on the human soldiers like hungry hyenas and started tearing at their flesh. The soldiers in the front led a bay charge to push back the drooling corpses while the ones at the back started retreating.


    "Those wyverns are killing our ground troops. We need to take them down! Men, prepare to charge!"


    Hearing the Captain''s words, Xander was roused from his stupor. He followed hispanions as they flew into battle, riding on their Royal Griffins.


    The Death Stalkers saw theming from a mile away and flew into the dark ck clouds for cover. But the Griffin Riders didn''t give up. They followed their prey like eager hawks, pushing through the cloud cover.


    Spears whizzed across the sky, electrifying the clouds below. Some wyverns were impaled by the shiny iron tips and crashed to the ground while some kept flying with punctured appendages.


    To evade their pursuers, the Death Stalkers used their camouge ability to blend in with the clouds, but the Griffin Riders hurled lightning bolts from above, zapping the fleeing wyverns.


    Xander was riding behind hispanions when all of a sudden a Death Stalker took him by surprise and bit into his Griffin''s feathered chest. The hybrid tried to shake it off, but the Stalker''s teeth dug into its flesh like sharp hooks.


    "Let go of it, you freak!" Xander jabbed the wyvern with his spear, zapping it with electricity. As the shock coursed through its slender body, it was forced to loosen its jaw and let go of the Griffin.


    Before the wyvern could flee to safety, Xander turned his Griffin around and hurled his spear at the nimble flier. It pierced the wyvern''s back, going straight through its belly, and it instantly turned to ash.


    "The skies are clear! Regroup, men!" the Captain''s voice resounded across the sky like a brass bell.


    Xander and the other riders turned their Griffins around and joined their leader above the clouds.


    "Our brothers on the ground need our assistance. Let''s send those foul ghouls back to their graves!"


    "For Cynthia!" the men cried out in unison and prepared to swoop down.


    Riding the strong eastern winds, the Griffin riders charged down from the sky like divine retribution, their spears ready to purify the undead with heavenly lightning.


    But before they could rain down their righteous fury, a wave of fire swept across the sky, reducing them to ash in the blink of an eye.


    Xander barely managed to escape the inferno, but his Griffin''s tail feathers were burnt to a crisp just from the heat.


    Shading his eyes from the bright sh, Xander peered through the gaps between his fingers. As the Dreamwalker parted his eyelids, his throat dried up in fear.


    Hovering a few hundred feet above the ground was a three-headed Crimson Dragon.

 Chapter 14: Eye of the storm

    <h4>Chapter 14: Eye of the storm</h4>


    A dragon sighting wasn''t umon in the Nightscape, but most of them were either fledglings of the Golden Horned Dragons or weak Bone Dragons summoned by necromancers.


    However, the dragon in front of Xander wasn''t one of themon species. It was one of the rarest Elder Dragons in existence and was often depicted as Shamura''s pet in the forbidden texts.


    Xander felt a bitter chill run down his spine as his eyes stared in awe at the fearful sight. The three-headed dragon had a wingspan of several hundred feet and was covered in blood-red scales that glowed like rubies in the dark. Its eyes were cker than the ckest night, and its ws sharper than polished steel daggers.


    Its spiky red tail alone surpassed ten horsesid end to end, and its enormous ck tongues were longer than the longest vipers found in the forests of Asunia.


    Sharp, white fangs stuck out of its mouth, and a hundred spiny scales formed uneven ridges on its back, stretching all the way up to the start of its tail. The beast looked like it had been summoned straight out of the underworld.


    Xander knew he had no chance of defeating the monstrosity, much less repelling the entire opposing army. So instead of trying to y the hero, the Dreamwalker chose to flee the battlefield.


    Kicking the Griffin with his spurs, Xanderpelled it to nosedive toward the ground. The crimson dragon''s heads bobbed up and down as the creature opened its gaping ck mouths.


    Swirling hot mes from its ever-burning belly spiraled upward through its three throats and collected in the ck pit of its maw. Embers erupted from its mouth as it exhaled vigorously, dousing the entire battlefield in fire.


    Tongues of mes licked the edges of Xander''s jacket as he steered his Griffin out of harm''s way.


    The Crimson Dragon pushed the air back with its massive red wings and turned around to pursue its prey. Though its enormous size had crowned it the ruler of the bleeding skies, it didn''t help when chasing fast prey.


    Xander''s Griffin swiftly cut across the sky, using the western updraft to gain momentum and increase its speed. The dragon kept on its tail, charring everything in its path with its fiery breath.


    A few sharp turns helped the Griffin avoid getting hit by the swirling fire spray, but the extreme heat singed the feathers on its wings.


    With the Crimson Dragon hot on his tail, Xander looked around frantically for a cave or hollow he could take shelter in to avoid being roasted alive, but the ins offered no protection.


    It was just acres upon acres of tall green grass and clumps of thorny bushes.


    Xander''s eyes widened in horror as he looked down. This side of the battlefield was overrun with dark creatures summoned from the bowels of the Nightscape.


    A hundred Chaos Mages were standing in line, their shriveled fingers holding crooked wooden staves and their lips moving in unison toplete the dark spell.


    Protecting the magic casters was a horde of undead Hobgoblins armed with halberds and polearms. All of them were dressed in tattered ck rags and engulfed in a hazy ck miasma.


    ck, three-headed bulls with glowing red horns were rampaging across the battlefield, whipped forward by the ash-skinned imps riding on their lumpy backs.


    "There''s no way any living army can win against these creatures. Not even the Royal Cavaliers can take them on."


    The words were barely out of Xander''s mouth when he spotted a regiment of Blood Elves dressed in tainted mistral armor, holding enchanted wooden bows.


    As soon as the cursed archers spotted the Dreamwalker, they started pulling out arrows out of thin air and leveling them against the bridges of their bows. With their bowstrings drawn back, they lifted their weapons at an angle and aimed at the human who had dared to fly into their territory.


    "Shit! Shit! Shit!"


    Xander realized he was about to be riddled with arrows and tugged at the reins of his mount, forcing it to change direction and pull a hard left.


    The arrows whizzed past him, piercing the dark clouds like needles. Though Xander had survived the elven attack, the Crimson Dragon was still hot on his trail.


    A torrent of searing hot mes gushed at Xander, threatening to turn him to ash, but before it could reach him, he flew between the narrow gap between the twin hills in the distance.


    It was a narrow escape, but Xander wasn''t out of the woods yet. Though he had managed to create some distance between him and the dragon, it wasn''t ready to give up the chase.


    "Why the hell do you keep following me?" he shouted, looking over his shoulder.


    It was as if the Crimson Dragon had marked Xander as its favorite prey.


    The deeper Xander ventured into enemy territory, the more horrifying it became. Grotesque monstrosities with mutted limbs and scarred bodies were lumbering across the undting grasnds, mindlessly clubbing everything in their path.


    The red clouds swirling overhead were reced by dark gray ones rumbling with thunder. A glowing red eye peeped from the smoky canopy, gazing at the carnage below.


    "What the hell is that?"


    "This world is ours for the taking!" a hoarse voice echoed in the distance


    "Zorril! So, you''re the one leading this army!" Xander eximed, spurring his Griffin forward.


    A hot gust of air nearly knocked Xander off his mount as the Crimson Dragon dispersed the clouds with its scorching breath. Beads of sweat rolled down his smooth forehead, and his throat turned drier than a desert in summer.


    Flying for so long was beginning to take its toll on both Xander and his mount. The Griffin was starting to slow down, and the dragon was gradually gaining on them.


    Xander took the reins in his left hand and held out his right hand. "I need a spear!"


    A new lighting spear materialized in his hand almost immediately. Xander pulled the reins of his Griffin, making it climb upward. With thest ounce of power left in its tired muscles, the beast tore through the clouds and emerged on the other side of a darkening sky.


    Undeterred by the elevation, the Crimson Dragon stormed upward, sweeping the clouds back with a gust of wind from its massive membranous wings.


    As the dragon''s horned head appeared on the other side, Xander took aim and hurled his spear like a javelin. It shrieked across the sky, emitting sparks of electricity, and went straight through the dragon''s right eye, impaling its middle head.


    The beast growled in pain as lightning coursed through its body. But it wasn''t enough to bring the monstrosity down. The attack merely slowed it, buying Xander a few precious seconds.


    "Why don''t you just go down, you bastard?" Xander cursed in frustration. Even with the spear lodged in its eye, the dragon wasn''t ready to retreat.


    Seeing no way out of this mess, the Dreamwalker turned his Griffin around. "Please don''t die on me here. I need to get out of this mess. Tiva is waiting for me. I can''t die here."


    As if understanding the words that came out of Xander''s mouth, the Griffin let out a shrill cry that echoed across the sky.


    Within seconds, hundreds of wild Royal Griffins flocked to Xander, their golden feathers radiating an aura so bright that it dazzled the eyes. It was a sight to behold. A sight that was as rare as an encounter with a Crimson Dragon.


    Xander''s mount pped its feeble wings and let the dying winds carry it onward. The roar of the Crimson Dragon sent shivers down the Dreamwalker''s spine as it approached from behind.


    But before the dragon could open its mouth to spew fire at its prey, the Royal Griffins swarmed it from all sides, their talons and beaks tearing at its scales.


    Even with their superior numbers, they were no match for the monstrosity. The dragon''s fiery breath incinerated them in seconds, clearing a path for it.


    Just when Xander was ready to give up, he saw a bright red portal opening in the sky. Without even thinking about it, he flew into it. The dragon exhaled once more, flooding the sky with fire, but the portal closed before the mes could burn the fleeing Griffin.


    The Dreamwalker suddenly dropped from the sky andnded on a cold stone floor, almost breaking his jaw. The battlefield had been left far behind, and he was lying inside a cottage now.


    [Objectivepleted: Navigate your way through the carnage!]


    [2000 exp gained.]


    [Current Level: 6.]


    [umted exp: 2000/3500.]


    [30 Nightmare Coins obtained!]


    [Unidentified Relic acquired!]


    Dusting himself, Xander slowly raised himself back to his feet. Floating a few paces away from him was a glowing white scroll with two pointy silver tips sticking out from both ends.

 Chapter 15: Ritual of Shadows

    <h4>Chapter 15: Ritual of Shadows</h4>


    Stretching out his right hand, Xander reached for the mysterious relic. As soon as his fingers touched the scroll, a warm sensation spread across his palm, traveling all the way up through his arm.


    Xander felt his fingers tingle as his whole body warmed up. It was as if he was standing in front of an open fire. He could feel a powerful magic energy emanating from the relic, but it wasn''t something he was familiar with.


    Relics were extremely rare items that could either be obtained bypleting objectives or purchased from shady merchants roaming the veiled realm.


    Both the Chronica and the Amulet of Life were also relics, just like the scroll. And unlike the cards and mystical weapons, these relics could be carried back to the real world.


    Having walked the path of the Dreamwalker for almost two years, Xander wasn''t a stranger to these unique artifacts, but this was the first time he had acquired a relic that was marked as ''unidentified''.


    Xander tried to unfurl the scroll, but it refused to open. It was protected by a powerful sealing incantation that prevented any unwanted eyes from reading its contents.


    After a few more failed attempts, he finally gave up and shoved the scroll inside his jacket''s inner pocket. "A relic that refuses to work. That''s just great!" he scoffed.


    Before Xander could ask his system more about the scroll, a faint light source appeared in the distance. It was no bigger than a candle but somehow illuminated the whole room, bathing it in a dim red aura.


    Soon after, three flickering silhouettes materialized in the room. They were all seated around the candle, forming a triangle.


    Xander inched closer to get a better look and hid behind an old barrel of rum near the stone pir on his right. From here he had a clear view of those three.


    The mysterious figures were all robed in ck and their faces were shrouded by oversized hoods. One of them was chanting a strange incantation while another was grinding something ashy inside a white pestle.


    The one seated the farthest from Xander was pouring a red liquid from a ss jar onto a stone bowl carved with glowing inscriptions.


    During his time as a Dreamwalker Xander had witnessed quite a few strange incidents, but he had never seen something quite like this. It looked like the three mysterious men were trying to perform a ritual.


    Xander opened his system panel, but it didn''t show any new objectives. Swiping left, he essed his Mystic Profile. All his skills were still avable, along with the two extra skill points.


    However, all the upgrades were greyed on the glowing white panel.


    With no cards in his inventory and no y tablets at hand, Xander knew he wasn''t ready forbat.


    The only weapon that he still had with him was that dagger with the ivory handle. It was sharp enough to cut through skin and cloth, but the de looked too fragile to be used for stabbing.


    When Xander was least expecting it, a new objective popped up before him.


    [The Dreamwalker has entered the House of Living Death]


    [New Objective: Stop the Ritual of Shadows.]


    Thosest words made Xander''s blood run cold. The Ritual of Shadows wasn''t just any cryptic ritual. It was the second dark ritual described in the forbidden texts and was said to grant the summoners the power to summon the three damned generals from the bowels of the Nightscape.


    It all made sense to him now. This wasn''t a memory at all, but a vision of things toe. Everything he had seen so far were fragments of the same. However, the scenes had been ying out in reverse.


    The first fragment was a glimpse of the destruction wrought by Shamura''s generals. The second was a vision of humanity''s first battle against the Ethereal army under Shamura''smand. And the final vision brought Xander back to where it all started¡ªthe ritual that had summoned the dark deity''s generals into the real world.


    "Just who are these people?" Xander mumbled to himself. "What kind of madmen would want to call a murderous deity into our world?"


    Over the years, there had been plenty of isted incidents of cultists performing strange rituals and offering sacrifices to appease the dark deity. But none of them had been stupid enough to try and summon her into the real world.


    Xander wondered if this was some new cult or if the old cultists had finally lost all their marbles. Whatever it was, stopping the ritual was of paramount importance.


    Though this was merely a vision, and preventing the dark ritual on this side would have little effect on the cult''s activities in the real world, it would help the Dreamwalker obtain more information about the cult.


    Just like nightmares and dreams had memories trapped in them, visions had clues about a person''s future motives and aspirations.


    Steeling his nerves, Xander took a deep breath and clutched the steel dagger tightly inside his sweaty palms. The room had already started filling up with the smell of incense, and the chanting was growing louder with every passing second.


    Xander knew he couldn''t wait any longer and decided to strike from the shadows while he still had the chance.


    With his heart thumping inside his chest, Xander vaulted over the barrel and jumped at the nearest cultist with his ivory dagger in hand.


    The pointy edge was inches away from the cultist when he suddenly turned around and pointed his open right palm at the Dreamwalker.


    Xander was lifted off his feet and pushed back several paces. He desperately tried to get back on the ground, but his legs kept dangling mid-air.


    "I knew you''d being," the mysterious figure whispered, pulling his hood back to reveal a hideous face riddled with scars. He was blind in the left eye, and all his teeth were grimy ck.


    "What the hell are you freaks up to?" Xander frowned, desperately trying to break free from the cultist''s grasp. "Who are you guys?"


    The cultist smiled at this and replied, "My name is inconsequential, Dreamwalker. But I think you already know what we are up to. Our world is gued by sin. It is time for it to be cleansed by the Dark Deity''s blessing!"

 Chapter 16: True salvation

    <h4>Chapter 16: True salvation</h4>


    The cultist who had caught hold of Xander pulled him towards himself and looked into Xander''s eyes.


    "I have no personal grudge against your kind, but you chose the wrong vision, Dreamwalker," he whispered in a voice so jarring that it sent shivers down Xander''s spine. "Perhaps this is your destiny, little vulture."


    "Why are you doing this?" Xander muttered, clenching his fists. "You know Shamura is a dark deity. She has no love for humans. She''s gonna kill us all!"


    The cultist grinned at this and lifted Xander so high that his head nearly touched the thatched ceiling. "Shamura is our salvation. She has no mercy for the Ordinaires but has boundless love for Mystics like us. Once she is freed from her shackles, we will no longer have to hide in the shadows and fear being persecuted for every little mistake."


    "What the hell are you talking about?" Xander yelled.


    The cultist''s grip on the Dreamwalker tightened, making him yelp in pain. As his shriveled fingers folded inward, Xander felt his ribs being squeezed by an invisible hand.


    "Do you even know what it feels like to be harassed at every step by the powerless wretches?" the man shouted, pulling Xander close. "The Ordinaires treat us like vermin! No matter what we do, we are always regarded with suspicion. But that''s about to change soon. Once Shamura crosses over to our world, she will reshape civilization with her dark fingers and free us from our oppressors. Shamura isn''t a name to be feared, she is our salvation!"


    "You''re a Telemancer. What are you doing inside this vision? You do not belong here," Xander eked out his words, wincing in pain.


    Telemancers were powerful Mystics whose special Talent enabled them to use the power of telekinesis to control objects with their mind without actually ever needing to touch them.


    However, finding a Telemancer on the other side of the veil was incredibly rare. What was even more shocking was that Xander couldn''t ess any of the skills or cards, but the Telemancer''s powers werepletely unaffected.


    "He is here because this is my vision," the second cultist answered Xander''s question. With a snap of his fingers, he conjured a glowing ck card in his hand and approached Xander.


    Xander''s eyes widened. His greatest fears had juste true. "You''re a Dreamwalker?" he asked, fixing his eyes on him.


    "How incredibly perceptive of you. Yes, I am a Dreamwalker, my dear friend," the cultist replied. "My name is Moreas ine. What''s yours?"


    The cultist tossed his card in the air, and a gust of wind blew his hood open. His eyes zed with thunder as if a storm was brewing inside him. Sparks of electricity started dancing on his fingertips, and his lips turned a cold shade of dying blue.


    The matted gray locks on his head turned spotless white and the taut skin on his smooth face became wrinkly and loose. The man who had been looking no more than fifty, now suddenly looked well past seventy.


    "What kind of card was that?" Xander asked, fighting the pain.


    Moreas'' lips curved into a grin, and he replied, "I''ll answer all your questions, little one. But first, you must answer mine."


    "My name''s Xander...Nyxon."


    "Another Nyxon. How strange," Moreas breathed in a barely audible whisper that carried with it a touch of icy numbness. With silent and measured steps, he approached Xander and lifted his chin with his index finger. "I used to know a Nyxon. A charming woman. You wouldn''t know her would you?"


    Xander tried to break free with a jerk, but his limbs felt limp. It was as if his strength had suddenly deserted him. All he could manage was to utter a feeble whisper from his parched lips.


    "You knew...Nelly?"


    Moreas slowly pulled his finger back and smiled. "Yes, that was her name. Nelly Nyxon. Oh, how can I forget such a lovely face! She truly was one in a million." His smile gradually faded, and the light in his eyes dimmed. "If only she had joined us, she might have been alive today."


    "So, you''re the bastards who killed her!" Xander felt his strength return to him and tried to kick the old Dreamwalker, but the Telemancer held him at bay.


    "We should dispose of him and get out of here," the Telemancer advised.


    Moreas however, had other ns. He shook his head and replied, "I think he still hasn''t served his purpose."


    "How are you three here?" Xander growled, clenching his fists.


    So far, the beings Xander had encountered inside this vision were all Ethereals. Even the people he was previously fighting beside weren''t actual humans, but nameless dwellers of the veiled world who had assumed human forms.


    However, these three cultists were different. They were all actual Mystics from the real world.


    The old Dreamwalker enjoyed this question so much that he decided to humor Xander with a reply.


    "We aren''t actually here. These are just fragments of our soul, bound to the medallion. You see, I''m a master of my craft, and unlike a novice, I can split my soul into five fragments simultaneously. And I possess a certain skill that helps me carry others to the veiled world as well. All of us here are just fragments of our true selves. Our actual bodies are still in the real world. What you''re looking at are merely manifestations of our psyche."


    "You''re all a bunch of lunatics!" Xander shouted, breaking free from the Telemancer''s grasp.


    But before he could charge at them, the third cultist rushed at him like a shadow and grabbed him from behind, holding a knife to his throat.


    "You''re not going anywhere, friend. Even if you do manage to kill us, it won''t affect us in the real world. But I''m not so sure about you," the cultist hissed in his ear.


    "A Shadowmancer. I never expected Shamura''s cult to be such a colorful bunch," Xander jeered.


    "That''s right, brother. We are all working together to aplish amon goal. I''m the one who killed that woman wearing this medallion."


    "Why did you do it? She was innocent."


    "Nobody''s innocent in this world," the Shadowmancer said, pressing the de softly against Xander''s smooth skin. "She was a Harkin¡ªthe noble bloodline blessed by Mordred himself. We needed to sacrifice her to tear the veil and bring our worlds together."


    "You made a mistake!" Xander snapped. "Her name was Esther Rayne. She had no connection with the Harkins."


    The Shadowmancerughed at this. "Is that what her Last Memory told you? I guess she never knew the truth herself."


    "What are you talking about?"


    "Esther was adopted. Her parents were murdered when she was just a newborn babe. There is no mistake, Dreamwalker. Your dead friend was a Harkin."


    "And what did my sister do?" Tears came unbidden to Xander''s eyes as he yelled at the top of his voice. All the angst bottled inside his heart overpowered his human fears and pushed him to the edge of madness.


    In a fit of fury, Xander grabbed the Shadowmancer''s hands and flipped him over his shoulder, mming him into the ground like a sack of potatoes. Before he could retaliate, Xander had already plunged his dagger into the cultist''s left eye.


    The bloodied corpse soon melted into thin air and turned into a mere memory¡ªintangible and harmless.


    "You all will pay for what you did to her!" Xander thundered, his eyes zing with righteous fury.


    The Telemancer was about to fling him away when the other Dreamwalker stopped him. "It''s alright. I''ll handle this fledgling."


    "I''d like to see you try!" Xander shouted like a madman.


    "Do you think you''ve won just by destroying one of our soul fragments?" Moreas questioned, resting his darkling gaze on Xander. "You know this meager setback doesn''t affect us. We are still hale and hearty in the real world."


    "Then I''ll kill you in our world as well!" With those final words, Xander rushed at Moreas.


    The old Dreamwalker didn''t move an inch from his spot but grabbed Xander by his neck before he could strike.


    Xander tried to jab the old cultist, but his arms felt leaden and numb. A terrible weakness spread across his body, making his legs quiver under him.


    "You and your sister aren''t all that different. You''re just as stubborn and reckless as Nelly," Moreas whispered, draining Xander of his life force. "I''ll keep leeching from you, till all that you''re left with is an empty husk of your true self. This is the final goodbye, my dear friend."


    Xander tried to resist, but his strength failed him. He now realized the card Moreas had activated before was a corrupted leeching card. It enabled him to drain a person of all his power just by touching him.


    With thest ounce of strength left in his body, Xander lifted his left arm, but he struggled to fold his fingers into a fist. Soon his whole body became limp, and a profound darkness smothered his vision.


    Momentster, Xander''s heart stopped beating, and he lost consciousness. Having drained his victim of all his powers, Moreas finally let go.


    Xander''s lifeless body copsed on the cold stone floor, his face shriveled up like a wilting flower, and his eyes closed in eternal sleep.

 Chapter 17: Garden of Death

    <h4>Chapter 17: Garden of Death</h4>


    "The Rich and the poor, the saint and the sinner, the brave warrior and the scared little orphan. Death embraces all."


    Hearing the cold and haunting voice, Xander opened his eyes, gasping for breath. All his sensations of pain had disappeared without a trace, and his body felt weightless and free. It was as if a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders.


    As Xander looked around, his eyes discerned hazy ck shapes in the distance. He was standing in the middle of a field overgrown with wild des of violet grass and thorny ck vines that stretched on for miles.


    In the distance, he could see ck dahlias and chrysanthemums in full bloom. But their petals looked shriveled and droopy. Buzzing over the flowers were bloated green bumblebees and gray butterflies.


    "What the hell is this ce?" Xander mumbled to himself.


    He remembered Moreas draining him with his leeching touch, but everything after that was nk.


    "Is this another fragment of that vision?"


    In response, the glowing white system panel opened up before him.


    [Wee to the Garden of Death.]


    [Pray to the Shadow to seek release.]


    A cold shiver ran down his spine as he looked at the words on disy. "What the hell does it mean? Am I dead?" he asked, his voice cracking and cold. "Answer me, God damn it!"


    Xander tried to ess his Dreamwalker profile, but the system panel refused to open again.


    Soon everything became clear to Xander. Since Moreas had killed him inside a vision, his soul had been sent to its final resting ce.


    Xander had only read bits and pieces about the Garden of Death. If any Dreamwalker died inside a dream or a nightmare, they would be trapped in the Nightscape or the Dreamscape forever, but if one died inside a vision, they were bound for the garden.


    It had all happened so fast that Xander still couldn''t believe he was dead. He had navigated his way across the most terrifying nightmares and returned unharmed. But entering this vision had been a terrible mistake.


    If only he knew he''d end up facing Mystics on the other side, he would''ve never asked Leena to unseal the medallion. He could''ve easily handled a few angry Ethereals, but he wasn''t expecting the cultists.


    "I should''ve walked away from this one." Xander shook with rage as tears dripped from his eyes.


    With his fists balled up, he looked up at the gloomy gray sky and shouted, "I can''t die here! I need to get back to Tiva. This isn''t fair!"


    "Life isn''t fair, little one. Perhaps it''s time you realized that," a hoarse brooding voice replied from the darkness.


    Xander stepped back with a start and started looking around frantically. The fact that he was unarmed and without his powers only made him more nervous. "Who''s there? Show yourself!"


    Suddenly, hundreds of crimson spider lilies sprang up around him and spread across the bleak field like a rash. The gray clouds overhead turned blood red, and a ck crescent moon appeared in the sky.


    A rabid wind howled across the field, ravaging the distant dahlias and uprooting the crying chrysanthemums.


    Xander covered his face with the back of his hand to shield himself from the dust blowing in his direction. The wind, however, showed no mercy. It kept racing across the field like a wild wolf freed from captivity.


    "You are in my domain now."


    The voice rang in Xander''s ears again, and instantly the wind died out. Everything turned still again.


    Xander slowly removed the hand covering his face and opened his eyes to look at the owner of the voice. It was neither man nor beast, but a twisted amalgamation of the two.


    He wanted to scream, but his throat dried up in fear.


    The being standing in front of Xander was nearly twice his height with bulging muscles and sturdy legs. Its skin was the ash gray of death, and its open locks were as dark as the night. It had four arms and was wearing an ancient set of te armor with runic engravings on each part.


    What was truly terrifying about the monstrous creature was its face. It had the head of a demon with long ck horns curling upwards and three pairs of blood-red eyes.


    The creature''s hands looked like paws and had sharp elongated wsing out of them. And as it opened its mouth to speak, Xander caught a glimpse of two pairs of glistening white fangs sticking out it.


    "Wee to my world, Dreamwalker!" the creature proimed aloud, his voice piercing the sky and scattering the dark clouds.


    Xander backed away in dread and asked in a quivering voice, "Who are you?"


    Hearing this, the monstrous being let out a suppressed chuckle that echoed across thends. "I am Mordred, the Lord of Terror. The one true master of the Nightscape!"


    His words gave Xander the shock of his life. Mordred was one of the most fearsome dark deities of the veiled world. An ancient being with a never-ending lust for violence and bloodshed.


    However, Xander still seemed hesitant to believe that it was indeed the dark deity and not some Ethereal trying to trick him. What really made him suspicious was his appearance.


    The ancient texts described Mordred as a three-headed ck dragon whose infernal breath could incinerate entire forests in the blink of an eye.


    After taking a good look at the entity that imed to be the Lord of Terror, Xander mustered up the courage to put his thoughts into words.


    "Mordred doesn''t look like this. The texts mention that he is a three-headed dragon."


    "You are too skeptical for your own good, mortal," the monstrosity dered. Stretching out his arms, he conjured his infernal weapons¡ªa pair of ck greatswords with runic inscriptions engraved on their polished des. "I have many forms, Dreamwalker. The three-headed dragon is my most destructive form. Just gazing at it would obliterate you from existence."


    Xander wasn''t satisfied with the exnation, but he wasn''t foolish enough to argue with a being that looked like a demonic hybrid.


    "I know you have your doubts about me. But I will satiate your curiosity."


    The demonic creature shed the air vertically with his sword and tore a rift in the fabric of space. It gradually widened, taking the form of a ck portal.


    "Come with me, and I shall answer all your queries."


    Xander wanted to refuse but found his feet moving on their own. Though he tried his best to resist, his body failed to obey him.


    The Dreamwalker followed the dark being into the portal like a puppet on a string. It opened on the other side in front of a ck desert with a temple in its middle.


    It was the same ce Esther had seen in her vision. The statue of the three-headed dragon was right there in front of the temple''s gate surrounded by three golden braziers.


    As they walked up the temple''s sandstone stairs, Xander''s eyes fell on the gilded door. It had an engraving of Mordred''s demonic form, and it looked exactly like the being in front of him.


    There was now little doubt in Xander''s mind that the being before him was indeed the dreaded dark deity who ruled over the Nightscape.

 Chapter 18: A dangerous bargain

    <h4>Chapter 18: A dangerous bargain</h4>


    Xander followed like an obedient ve as Mordred entered through the front door, leading him inside the temple.


    Torches mounted inside hollowed-out animal skulls hung from the walls, their mes flickering unsteadily in the gloomy darkness. The temple was overgrown with cobwebs, and there were skeletons scattered around every corner.


    Despite his repeated attempts to stop, Xander''s legs carried him forward. It was as if he was being pulled by an invisible shackle, an unseen force that made him too weak to resist.


    A distant roar made the Dreamwalker shudder in terror. It came from deeper inside the temple. Xander felt like he was being led to his doom, but there was nothing he could do to escape.


    "Where are you taking me?" he asked as they crossed the pired hallway and entered a wider section of the temple where the stone floor was covered in cracks.


    Mordred paused in front of a stone door that had a demonic face carved onto it.


    "Wee, my lord," a hoarse voice whispered in the dark. The carving''s eyes lit up like rubies in the dark, and the demonic face shed a toothy grin. "Who do we have here? A mortal seeking death?"


    "He is a Dreamwalker," Mordred replied. "Let us through, Gamkin."


    "Of course, master." The demonic face opened its mouth, its head splitting in half as the two wooden doors parted with a rumbling noise.


    A thousand floating blue skulls illuminated the darkness as Mordred walked through the door. It was a terrifying ce that reeked of death. The foul stench of rotting corpses and dried blood hung in the air, and a gloomy aura pervaded the darkness.


    Xander retched as the unbearable stench made his stomach turn. He somehow controlled his urge to vomit, but the nausea made him dizzy and weak.


    In the middle of the massive room was a throne made out of a hundred human hands folded in prayer. They weren''t carved out of wood or chiseled out of stone but were made of rotting flesh and bone.


    Xander''s throat dried up, and his breathing became ragged as he saw some of the fingers still twitching even though the hands had been severed from their bodies.


    As Mordred mounted the stone steps and took his ce upon his dreadful throne, a ferocious beast leaped from the shadows and rubbed its spiky mane against him.


    It had the head of a lion, the body of a tiger, and a long slender tail that wriggled like a viper. There were scales covering its legs and numerous scars on its face. But what made it really terrifying were the sharp ck spikes running down its head and continuing along its back.


    Fortunately for Xander, the abomination was too busy ying with his master to pay any attention to him.


    Mordred noticed Xander staring at the beast and chuckled inwardly. Fixing his eyes on the Dreamwalker, he said, "You have no one to fear except me. My pet doesn''t harm my guests and prisoners."


    "Which one am I?" Xander asked, his voice reduced to a feeble whisper.


    Mordred stood up from his seat and pulled out a severed arm from his throne. He threw it as hard as he could, and his beast went running after it.


    Sensing the Dreamwalker''s fear, Mordred decided to indulge himself a bit longer. "Why do you think I brought you here?"


    "I don''t know."


    A broad, unsettling smile appeared on Mordred''s diabolic face. He looked down at Xander as if he were a little puppy and said, "You are here because you were killed inside a vision."


    "So, I really am dead?" Xander asked as if the patent fact had still not registered in his mind. Gradually, his eyes moistened, and his face fell. "What happens now?"


    "That is entirely up to you," Mordred answered.


    Xander looked at him in confusion and asked, "What do you mean?"


    "I mean I will offer you a choice, Xander Nyxon. How the rest of this tale ys out depends on you alone." Mordred pointed one of his swords at the Dreamwalker and asked, "Do you wish to return to your world?"


    Xander''s eyes lit up with hope as he heard those words. "But you said that I''m dead. Can you really bring me back to life?"


    "A part of your soul still remains inside your mortal shell. There is still time to undo your mistakes. All you need to do is ask."


    "Please send me back to the real world. Tiva is waiting for me," Xander pleaded, falling to his knees.


    "I like your devotion, Dreamwalker. But there is something you must do for me in return."


    "I''ll do anything!"


    The impulsive reply pleased Mordred immensely. He smiled at Xander and replied, "I will send you back to your world, but in exchange I want you to be my herald."


    "What?" A shocked gasp escaped from Xander''s lips. "I''ll do no such thing. You don''t belong in our world. I won''t help you cross over."


    "Foolish mortal! I do not wish to cross over to your world!" Mordred thundered, ring at the Dreamwalker. "I only want you to serve me like an obedient servant."


    "I don''t understand. Why do you need a herald if you don''t want to cross over to our world?"


    Mordred jumped down from his throne andnded right in front of Xander. "I need someone to stop my sister."


    "Your sister?" Xander questioned back in utter confusion.


    "Shamura," Mordred replied in an ominous tone.


    The revtion came as a shock to Xander. The ancient texts always described Shamura and Mordred as bitter enemies, hell-bent upon ruling the Nightscape.


    ording to the old legend, after a battle thatsted many centuries, Mordred had managed to crush Shamura''s army and imprison her inside an abyss. That was how he became the one true master of the Nightscape.


    "I thought you two were arch-enemies," Xander said, meeting Mordred''s piercing gaze.


    "That we are, dear boy. Just because she is my sister, it doesn''t mean that I don''t despise her with every inch of my being." Mordred''s voice turned hoarse and gravelly as he continued. "She wants toy waste to the mortal world and im it as her own. If she manages to cross over to your world, she will make it a part of her domain."


    "But you sealed her inside an abyss."


    "And the Mystics from your world have unshackled her!" Mordred thundered. Trembling with rage, he added, "The one who freed her from her binds was a Dreamwalker like you."


    "Moreas," Xander whispered back.


    "Yes, that was his ursed name!"


    "I''m not like him," Xander replied.


    "I know that quite well. It''s the only reason I haven''t fed you to my pet. But if you refuse to obey, I shall take immense pleasure in torturing you for all eternity."


    Xander still had plenty of doubts about this dubious proposal. He didn''t understand why Mordred was so concerned about the real world.


    "Why do you want to stop Shamura? What''s in it for you?" he asked.


    "An immortal being crossing over to the mortal world would disrupt the bnce and destroy everything that I''ve created. She is a reckless, self-serving deity who seeks nothing but power. But I''m not like her. I cannot let her plunge my realm into chaos. And that is where youe in."


    "I''m just a Dreamwalker. How the hell am I supposed to stop a dark deity?" Xander questioned back. "I couldn''t even stop those cultists."


    "I will lend you my aid, Dreamwalker. All you have to do is ept my offer," Mordred replied.


    As enticing as the thought of returning to his world was, Xander didn''t like the idea of serving a dark deity. For all he knew, Mordred had ulterior motives in mind and was nning to use him as a pawn.


    "If Shamura sets foot on your world, it will be reduced to rubble and ash. All your loved ones will be ughtered like cattle." Mordred paused for a moment and then added, "Little Tiva''s blood will be on your hands. And all because you were too selfish to ept my offer."


    The mere mention of his niece made Xander anxious. Tiva was the only reason he had kept going all these years. She was the only one he truly cared about. And it was more than enough to make him bend his knee before the Lord of Terror.


    "If I be your herald, do you promise to send me back to my world?" Xander asked one final time.


    Mordred looked down at him and replied, "You have my word."


    Xander took a deep breath and nodded, "Fine, I ept your offer. I am ready to be your herald."

 Chapter 19: A herald is born

    <h4>Chapter 19: A herald is born</h4>


    "You have made the right choice, Dreamwalker. Embrace my blessings!" Mordred proimed in his dark, prophetic voice that echoed ominously inside the temple.


    A wave of fire swept the room, burning the soles of Xander''s boots. His feet were suddenly lifted off the ground by some unseen force, and he felt a strange energy surging through his body.


    Xander''s face darkened as an inky ckness seeped into his eyes. A searing pain red up inside his chest as he hovered between leaf and death. His face turned red, and blisters appeared all over his smooth skin.


    "Make it stop!" he screamed, unable to bear the excruciating agony.


    "It will all be over soon. But first, your flesh must be cleansed of all innocence," Mordred dered aloud.


    Xander''s arms and legs twisted violently as a dark power took hold of his body. Darkness clouded his vision, and all his senses abandoned him. A drowsy numbness lulled him to sleep, forcing him to slip out of consciousness.


    "I, Mordred, the Lord of Terror and the Supreme Overlord of the Nightscape,mand the darkness to obey my will and bless this mortal with my terrifying grace. Xander Nyxon, I bind your soul to my altar. Relinquish your mortal fears and be reborn as my herald!"


    The dark deity''s voice reverberated across the room, waking Xander from his deathly stupor. As he reopened his eyes, the swirling winds guided his feet to the floor, bringing him down again.


    All the pain had suddenly disappeared, and his skin was back to normal. He could even see a lot clearer than before, but his heart kept racing inside his chest.


    Once the numbness subsided, he walked up to Mordred and asked, "What have you done to me?"


    "I have blessed you with my unyielding strength and my unfaltering wisdom. You are still a mortal, but your soul is now bound to me."


    "I don''t feel much of a difference," Xander responded, opening and closing his fists. He didn''t feel particrly strong or wise. "Is this some kind of trick?" he questioned, meeting Mordred''s dark gaze.


    The Lord of Terror smiled at this and revealed the truth. "I have given you the power to tame corruption and bend it to your will. Use it wisely and none shall dare to stand in your path."


    "I don''t understand¡ª"


    "I could exin everything to you. But where''s the fun in that?" Mordred chuckled, shing a toothy grin. "Return to your world and serve me with diligence."


    Mordred''sst words kept echoing in Xander''s ears as everything around him faded into darkness. For a few brief moments, he found his body drifting weightlessly across a void, and then suddenly a bright white light appeared in the distance.


    The light started as a small glowing orb, but soon it swallowed everything in the vast emptiness, flooding the void with a numbing whiteness.


    "Please wake up. Xander! I need you to wake up!"


    A muffled voice reached Xander''s ears. It sounded like someone was shouting from the other side of a closed door. He could barely make out the words.


    "Xander, please don''t do this to me! Tiva needs you."


    Hearing the loud sobbing, the Dreamwalker opened his eyes, gasping for breath. Breathing fitfully in short, sporadic bursts, he sat up straight. It felt like he had been submerged under the icy cold waters of a freezingke.


    Xander''s palms were as cold as the soles of his feet, and his clothes were drenched in sweat. Though he could hear everything clearly, his vision was still blurry.


    "Thank God you''re okay! I almost thought I lost you." Leena threw her arms around Xander, wrapping him in a tight hug that warmed him like a nket. It eased his nerves and gradually calmed his racing heart.


    "Where''s Tiva? Is she alright?" Those were the first words toe out of Xander''s mouth. The dryness inside his throat made him cough as he tried to continue. "Does she know..."


    "Rx. She''s sleeping. She doesn''t know anything." Leena reassured him with a light touch on his shoulder. Her worried eyes zed over his face and she asked, "What took you so long? What did you see inside that memory?"


    Xander slowly got back on his feet with a little assistance from Leena. With shaky movements, he made his way to his bedside table and grabbed a ss of in tap water. Pouring it down his throat in one continuous gulping motion, he heaved a relieved sigh.


    "It wasn''t a memory. It was a vision. A vision of things toe."


    "A vision?" There was confusion in Leena''s voice and a strange uneasiness about the way she looked at Xander''s eyes. "There is something different about you. I can''t tell what, but something''s not right."


    "I saw Shamura''s army. Zorril was there," Xander replied. "What I''m about to tell you is very dangerous. You can''t disclose it to anyone."


    After giving Leena some time to ponder over his words, Xander began narrating his tale from the very beginning. He told her everything he had seen in those three fragmented scenes and finally about his encounter with Mordred.


    Leena''s eyes widened in horror, and her mouth fell open as Xander told her about the deal he''d struck with the dark deity.


    "You shouldn''t have done that," she spoke atst. "Mordred isn''t some benevolent God. He is the Lord of Terror. He relishes creating horrifying nightmares and toying with humans."


    "Do you think I had a choice?" Xander snapped back, staring right into her eyes. "It was the only way I coulde back. I died inside that vision."


    Everything Xander had told her so far painted a terrifying picture of things toe. It was all conjecture and guesswork up until this point. But now it was clear as broad daylight that Shamura was trying to cross over to their world.


    "We have to inform the Dreamweavers. They are the only ones who can stop her."


    The Dreamweavers were Legendary Dreamwalkers who had abandoned human society to meditate in the most hostile ces on Somnium to attain true enlightenment and win the favor of Verana, the Goddess of Dreams.


    Though these knowledgeable few had distanced themselves from society, other Dreamwalkers would often make the difficult pilgrimage to seek their prophetic counsel. Leena, too, had a simr idea since the Dreamweavers were the only ones who could tell them more about the dark deity and how to stop her.


    "We have to put our faith in the wise ones. They will know what needs to be done." Leena got up and was about to leave when Xander grabbed her hand and pulled her back.


    "The Dreamweavers are a lost cause. They will never help us, and you know it. Stop putting your faith in those senile old men. They don''t care about us. Hell, they don''t care about anyone."


    "Then what exactly are we going to do? Do you have a better idea?"


    Xander stood up from his bed and nodded. "I do. We''re gonna tell everything to the Chief of Police and ask him to help us find the cultists."


    "We don''t even know how many there are. They could have already started the summoning rituals."


    "It doesn''t matter. We only need to find Moreas. He is the one we need to stop," Xander replied with confidence.


    Leena however, didn''t seem too convinced. "They could be anywhere. There''s no guarantee that all the cultists are still in Merantis, or even Somnium for that matter."


    Xander looked her in the eye with dead seriousness and replied, "I''ll find Moreas no matter where he''s hiding. He killed Nelly. I''m not letting him walk away from this."


    "And what exactly are you gonna do when you find him?" Leena asked.


    "I''m gonna put a bullet through his skull," Xander answered without a second thought.

 Chapter 20: The Emergence

    <h4>Chapter 20: The Emergence</h4>


    Leena could see that stopping Shamura had be secondary to her friend. Fueled by hate, Xander sought revenge. His only goal now was to find Moreas and kill him.


    "You''re not thinking straight." Leena intervened before Xander could take another reckless step. "This isn''t just about Nelly. There are greater things at stake here."


    "What on earth could be greater than family?" Xander questioned back


    "Saving the world," Leena answered. "Stopping that Dreamwalker won''t solve our problems if Shamura finds another way to cross over to our world. We have to destroy her whole cult."


    This was something Xander could actually agree upon. He nodded and replied, "I won''t let Shamura cross over. If I fail Mordred, it''s gonna cost me dearly."


    "I just want you to remember that you''re not alone in this. We need all the help that we can get."


    "We can''t let anyone know about this. No one would believe us, and even if they did, they will only point fingers at us. The Department Of Mystical Affairs is just looking for a reason to put all Mystics behind bars. Let''s not give them that chance."


    "They''ll get to know eventually. You can''t hide this from them." Leena walked up to Xander and looked pleadingly at him. "The High Council needs to know about this so they can prepare."


    "I don''t have any proof. Whatever I saw, was inside a vision. Do you think they''ll believe that?" Xander asked, furrowing his brow. "Besides, if the Ordinaires find out about this, they''ll create another ruckus. There''ll be riots in the streets. I''m trying to prevent that chaos."


    The memories of thest Ordinaire Uprising were still fresh in Leena''s mind. She had lost several friends and rtives to the violence. It was one of the worst periods in Somnium''s history.


    All those inhumane trials and brutal punishments meted out to those judged guilty had gone down in the history books as a scar on the face of human civilization.


    Although things were a lot different now due to the newws and general public awareness, there were still those who didn''t trust Mystics just because they wielded powers beyond theirprehension.


    Even in this day and age, the Mystics were always treated as second-ss citizens and regarded with suspicion wherever they went. It was only natural for Xander not to trust his secrets to the Ordinaires.


    If the people got wind of the news that a Dreamwalker was involved in the recent murder they would start raising questions. And things would only go from bad to worse if they discovered that a group of crazed mystics was trying to summon a malevolent deity into their world.


    Xander changed into a fresh set of clothes and took both the medallion and the diary with him. Though it was seven in the evening, he knew he could find Detective Locksley working overtime at the police station.


    Leaving Tiva in Leena''s care, he was about to head outside when a loud knock on the firm wooden door arrested his footsteps. He wasn''t exactly expecting any guests and he had already paid the rent on time.


    Cautioning Leena to stay back, he peeped through the eyehole. The person standing outside wasn''t a stranger, but the man he was just thinking about.


    Xander quickly opened the door and was greeted by an anxious Chief Volgin. The man looked like he had all the burden of the world ced on his broad shoulders.


    "I was about to go to the police station myself. It took¡ª"


    "There''s no need for that," the Chief cut him off. "I received the forensic reports an hour ago. You were right. Esther was suffocated to death. They found her saliva on the pillow along with traces of male perfume. It was a murder."


    Hearing the Chief''s words, Xander breathed a sigh of relief. Even a moment ago he was thinking the senior officer hade to arrest him.


    "May Ie in?" the Chief asked, looking behind Xander and taking a quick nce at Leena. "Is she your¡ª"


    "She''s a friend. She was helping me with the investigation. You can trust her," Xander replied, moving out of the doorway to allow the tall figure to pass through and enter his apartment.


    "Are you a Dreamwalker too?" Chief Volgin asked, fixing his keen gaze on Leena.


    Leena was surprised by the sudden guess. "How did you know?"


    "I am a cop. It''s my job to know," Chief Volgin replied. "It was your pocket watch that gave you away. Only Dreamwalkers carry those antiques."


    Leena looked down and saw her Chronica dangling from her pocket. She quickly put it back in and tidied her clothes.


    "What else did you two find about those cultists?" Chief Volgin asked, quickly scanning Xander''s apartment. He wasn''t looking for anything in particr but was just trying to keep his mind busy.


    Xander showed him his sister''s diary and told him everything he''d learned from that vision. Everything except the part where he''d struck a deal with Mordred.


    The Chief slumped down on the couch, overwhelmed by this new information. On any other asion, he would''ve dismissed such warnings with a skeptic''s rationalism, but the recent events had turned him into a believer.


    "How many members are there in this cult?" he asked.


    Xander shook his head. "I don''t know."


    "Who''s their next target?"


    "I don''t know."


    "How are they nning to summon Shamura''s generals?"


    "I don''t know," Xander repeated for the third time. "All I know is that they have to destroy the veil between our worlds to achieve their goal. Shamura''s army can''t cross over until someone opens the door for them."


    "How?" Chief Volgin questioned back.


    "By creating a rift, a tear in the fabric of reality," Leena answered on Xander''s behalf. "There''s a book in the Museum of Dreams that describes the rituals for summoning dark deities into our world. It''s called the Noctis Umbrae. We need to get our hands on it as soon as possible."


    Before Chief Volgin could respond, a loud thumping on the door interrupted their conversation.


    "Are you there, Chief? Xander? Open the door!" a familiar voice shouted from outside.


    As Xander opened the door, Detective Locksley burst in. He was gasping for breath, and beads of sweat were rolling down his creased forehead.


    "Chief, we''re in deep...trouble. Those things are..ing for us."


    "Catch your breath, Detective." Chief Volgin guided the detective to a chair and helped him to a ss of cold water. "Now, tell me what''s got you so riled up."


    "It''s on the news. Channel seventeen," he replied, shifting his eyes from Chief Volgin to the others in the room.


    Xander quickly switched on the old television in his room. Adjusting the dial, he switched to channel seventeen¡ªsh News.


    On their television screen was an aerial coverage of Windbell Park. The camera was focused on a glowing red portal near the birdwatching tower.


    "What the hell is that?" Chief Volgin asked with a note of confusion in his voice.


    "It''s a Nightmare Portal," Xander replied keeping his eyes glued to the TV screen. "Who the hell opened a portal in a public ce?"


    "It must be those cultists," Leena answered.


    The camera slowly panned around, and a terrifying sight greeted their eyes. A mob of red-skinned creatures with pointy ears and sharp white teeth was chasing the people in the park.


    These nimble, little devils were half the size of adult humans, but their small stature didn''t stop them from jumping on the fleeing bystanders and biting their legs.


    There were dozens of these freakish imps, each more aggressive than the next. However, these smaller fries weren''t what scared Xander and Leena. It was therger, more muscr specimen rampaging across the park with a club in hand.


    "What are those things? Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Chief Volgin yelled.


    "Those smaller red-skinned creatures are Implings. And that giant clubbing people to death is a Goblin Berserker."


    "I''ve never heard of these creatures before."


    "That''s because they''re not from our world," Xander replied, turning to the Chief. "These are all Ethereals from the Nightscape. That portal is a bridge between our worlds."


    "But Ethereals can''t use the portal to cross to our world. It''s never happened before," Leena intervened.


    "It means the wall between our worlds has been ruptured. The veiled world is merging with the real one. It''s an Emergence!" Xander replied.

 Chapter 21: A new reality

    <h4>Chapter 21: A new reality</h4>


    The Chief of Police exchanged confused nces with Detective Locksley. They looked utterly clueless about what Xander had just said.


    "What is this Emergence that you speak of?" Chief Volgin enquired with knitted eyebrows.


    "The ancient Mystical texts foretell of dark times. ording to the Prophecy of Ain, when the influence of the dark deity grows strong enough to manipte the Mystics, the wall between our worlds will crumble, causing the veiled realm to bleed into the real world. This catastrophic event will cause the two nes to collide, allowing the Ethereals to cross over to our world," Leena exined.


    "The prophecy ising true now," Xander breathed out a cold whisper. "The cultists must havepleted one of the forbidden rituals. Esther''s death is just the beginning."


    Chief Volgin had heard enough to understand the gist of the matter. Without dying a second longer, he contacted his men over the radio.


    "We have a situation on our hands. All patrol units are advised to converge on Windbell Park. The ce has been overrun with monsters. Shoot to kill. I repeat this is an emergency. Move out at once and protect the civilians."


    While Detective Locksley and Chief Volgin were busy making calls, Xander and Leena had their eyes fixed on the television screen. The Implings were running on all fours and pouncing on those who tried to flee.


    Suddenly, the news chopper covering the incident was struck by an aluminum trash can. Dense ck fumes fanned out of its tail rotor as it lost stability and spiraled out of control. The pilot tried his best to steady it, but another hit to its main rotor sealed its fate, causing it toe crashing down.


    With the chopper wrecked, the news channel went nk as they were forced to go off the air. Xander tried switching channels, but none of the other channels were providing a live telecast. There was nothing informative apart from the panicked reporting of unprepared news presenters.


    "I need you toe with me," Chief Volgin said, turning to Xander. "My officers don''t know anything about these monsters. They could use your guidance."


    "I don''t think I can be of any help here. My powers only work on the other side of the veil."


    The words were barely out of Xander''s mouth when a flickering white panel appeared before him, with glowing red letters surrounded by runic symbols.


    [Dreamwalker System Activated!]


    [Dreamwalker''s Name: Xander Nyxon.]


    [Dreamwalker Rank: Novice.]


    [Dreamwalker Level: 1.]


    [Unlocked Skills:]


    [1. Card Collector (Level 1): The Dreamwalker can store up to five cards in his deck.]


    [2. Dealer''s Gift (Level 1): The Dreamwalker can carry a set of three cards with him.]


    [3. Mystic Armory (Level 1): The Dreamwalker can store up to two Mystical Weapons in his armory.]


    [4. Master of Arms (Level 1): The Dreamwalker can carry a maximum of one weapon with him.]


    "How is this possible?" Xander turned to Leena with confusion written all over his face. But things weren''t any different for her.


    Just like Xander, she too could ess her system even in this world.


    "The Emergence might have evened the odds for us. I think all our dormant powers have been awakened by the rupture," she replied.


    Although it was good news that they could use their powers freely in the real world, Xander didn''t look too happy. Dying inside that vision had reset his level, causing him to lose all his upgrades.


    With his rank reduced to Novice, he had to start all over again. And to make things worse, he had lost all the coins and shards stored in his system inventory.


    Leena noticed the frustrated look on Xander''s face and understood that something was wrong. "What happened?"


    "I''ve been demoted to Novice," he muttered through clenched teeth. "Everything is gone now. I have to start over again!"


    The two cops looked at the Dreamwalkers in astonishment. Their glowing system screens were out there for all to see.


    "I''ve never seen this before," Detective Locksley said. "So, it''s true then. The worlds have converged."


    "I guess that makes it easier for us. You must be used to fighting these monsters from the other side," Chief Volgin joined in.


    Xander shook his head. "I don''t have my weapons or cards. Without them, I''m pretty useless."


    "There must be a way to ess our armory in the real world. We just have to find it," Leena said.


    "There''s no time for that. We''re leaving for the park right now," Chief Volgin replied. It was clear from his tone that it wasn''t a request, but an order.


    After careful consideration, Xander stepped forward, "I''ll go with you. Leena''s staying right here."


    "Why? Isn''t she a Dreamwalker as well?" the Chief enquired.


    "My niece is sleeping in the other room. I can''t leave her alone, especially right now."


    Having lost his own niece, Chief Volgin could understand Xander''s situation and epted his condition.


    Leena didn''t feel good about letting Xander go alone in this dangerous situation, but she knew she had to stay back for the little girl. If there was anything in this world that brought meaning to Xander''s life, it was Tiva.


    Chief Volgin handed his keys to the detective and instructed him to take the wheel. Meanwhile, he got in the adjacent seat and started monitoring all open patrol channels.


    As Xander climbed into the back seat of the car, his system disyed a new message.


    [Mordred''s Insight Acquired!]


    [The Dreamwalker can now use the Altar of Corruption.]


    [The Dreamwalker can now ess his Mystical Inventory at will.]


    [New Objective: Acquire Mystical Weapons.]


    [Hint: Locate the nearest Shrine of Mordred.]


    In all his years Xander had never seen any shrines dedicated to either of the dark deities. Though the Mystics believed in them, none of them were crazy enough to build a shrine in the open.


    Even those Dreamwalkers with dubious affiliations steered clear of worshipping the dark deities in public for fear of provoking the authorities.


    Xander could understand the cultists building private ces of worship to honor Shamura, but he had never heard of any cults that worshipped the Lord of Terror.


    This new message disyed by his system only made the Dreamwalker more confused.


    As the car drove down the snow-covered roads, he rolled down the passenger side windows to take a look outside. With his Chronica in hand, he leaned out of the moving car. Almost immediately, both the hands of his pocket watch spun around and pointed at eleven.


    "Slow down," Xander yelled from the backseat, prompting Detective Locksley to take his foot off the elerator.


    "What''s going on? Did you see something?" he asked.


    Xander nipped back in and replied, "I need to get down. Drop me off at Ordeli Avenue."


    "The park''s still half a mile away. Why would you¡ª"


    "Just do as I say," Xander retorted sharply. "My Chronica is pointing toward something. I need to find it."


    Detective Locksley looked at the Chief for approval, but the old cop didn''t say a word. Instead, he turned to Xander and asked, "What exactly are you hoping to find?"


    "A shrine," Xander replied without batting an eyelid.


    Though the Chief felt confused by Xander''s answer, he decided to trust him this time. "Do as he says," he instructed Detective Locksley.


    The car stopped near the post office at Ordeli Avenue, and Xander got off. Chief Volgin handed him a wireless two-way radio transceiver and asked him to keep thems open.


    As the Chief''s sedan drove away, Xander put the radio inside his jacket and nced at his Chronica again. Its hands had stopped moving, and its dial felt warm to touch.


    With nothing to guide him but the faint silver rays of the waning moon, the Dreamwalker headed down the dark alley on his left, following the hands of the Chronica, which now pointed straight at twelve.

 Chapter 22: The Shrine of Mordred

    <h4>Chapter 22: The Shrine of Mordred</h4>


    The streetmps flickered restlessly as the Dreamwalker made his way down the blind alley. It was a cold and silent night, and the only sound that Xander could hear was the panicked beating of his own heart.


    Dusty old windowpanes looked on as the lone wanderer navigated his way through the darkness. Whaty before him was a bewildering crisscross of light and shade.


    Xander pulled his jacket close and wrapped it tightly around himself as a cold breeze cut through his skin. His Chronica chimed thrice in quick session and then turned silent again. He took it out of his pocket and nced at its dial once more.


    Both the hour and the minute hand were still pointing at twelve, but the ss had be foggy and dark.


    As Xander crossed the little pawn shop on his left, the moon disappeared behind a veil of clouds, drowning the alley in darkness. The ground suddenly started rumbling under his feet, and a cacklingughter echoed in the distance.


    With cautious steps, Xander continued his journey, groping his way through the darkness. At the blind end of the narrow alley was a shabby little inn teetering on itsst pins. The dull brown paint on its walls was peeling off, and the psters supporting its nting roof were full of cracks.


    "Ale and Hearty," Xander read the name on the wooden disy board, and he remembered hearing about this old inn on the news some five years ago. It had shut down during thest Red gue, along with a host of other smaller shops in the area.


    "I don''t see any shrine here." Xander looked around, scanning the nearby buildings, but there was nothing resembling a temple or a shrine anywhere close. "Damn it, Mordred. I''m tired of your games!"


    No sooner did he say those words, the inn copsed into a heap of rubble and the ground underneath caved in, exposing a pit of mes. It swallowed the debris whole, drowning it in its fiery maw, and spat out a ck skeletal key which Xander caught almost instinctively.


    The very next second, the fire died out and the gaping hole in the ground mended automatically. A ck portal appeared where the inn previously stood. Pieces of rocks and shards of broken ss came swirling out from the other side and converged together to create a terrifying wonder.


    It was a ck marble shrine with stained ss windows and a wooden double door bearing the image of a three-headed ck dragon.


    [New dark wonder discovered: Shrine of Mordred.]


    [100 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 0/500.]


    [Level Up!]


    [New Level: 2.]


    [One Skill Point acquired!]


    "Finally," Xander huffed, opening his skill tree. He put the additional skill point into the Master of Arms skill, instantly upgrading it to its next level.


    [Skill upgraded sessfully.]


    [Master of Arms (level 2): The Dreamwalker can carry two weapons with him.]


    With the upgrade added to his skill tree, Xander approached the shrine. He tried to push the wooden door open, but it refused to budge. Just then, he remembered that skeletal key he had acquired a while back.


    Xander inserted the skeletal key into an oddly-shaped keyhole and twisted it gently, turning it to the right. The lock clicked inside, and the door opened with a rumbling groan..


    As Xander entered the shrine, the door shut behind him, and the torches lining the walls lit up with purple mes. Up ahead in the distance, he saw the statue of Amara, and beside it was a gilded chest resting atop a granite pedestal.


    Seeing the familiar objects once more, Xander breathed a sigh of relief. Now he could finally equip himself for whaty ahead.


    Xander walked past the ancient candbra stands and made his way to the chest first.


    "Give me ess to the Mystic Armory. Unlock the weapon''s chest."


    The chest responded to hismand and its lid was thrown open. Inside ity two brown y tablets. By dropping to level 1 he had lost the other two items stored in it.


    Xander picked up both the tablets and put them in his pocket.


    [Weapons selected:]


    [1. The Eyeless Watcher (Nightmare Weapon)]


    [2. The Dream Cleaver (Nightmare Weapon)]


    [Objective Complete: Acquire Mystical Weapons!]


    [200 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 200/500.]


    [50 Nightmare Coins Acquired.]


    [Blessing of Mordred Acquired: For the next two hours, the Dreamwalker will gain double shards and coins by defeating Ethereals andpleting objectives.]


    "That''s good to know. It looks like he''s really got my back."


    Having acquired his weapons, Xander approached the statue of Amara. As he uttered the ancient incantation, a halo appeared behind the statue and a deck of Mystical cards materialized before him.


    However, since his Card Collector skill had dropped to level 1, he was left with just the five previously used cards. Those were the same cards that he had equipped while entering Esther''s Nightmare.


    To add to his difficulties, his Dealer''s Gift Skill was also at level 1 now, which meant that he could only take three cards with him.


    After a great deal of pondering, he finally picked up three cards from the floating deck.


    [Cards selected:]


    [1. Beast Companion (Dream Card)]


    [2. Destiny''s Child (Dream Card)]


    [3. Arctic Kiss (Dream Card)]


    Now that he had everything that he needed, Xander was prepared to confront the Ethereals. He was about to turn around and walk away when the ground started rumbling.


    A faint red aura spread across the room, and a red sandstone altar appeared between the statue and the gilded chest.


    "What the hell is this? Don''t tell me I need to worship Mordred now."


    [Altar of Corruption has appeared!]


    [Approach the altar to harness the power of corruption.]


    Xander recalled Moreas using a corrupted card in the vision. One that allowed him to leech Xander''s life force with a simple touch. Everything became crystal clear to him now.


    "So your sister had appointed a herald too," he mused. "It makes sense that you would need my help."


    Although Xander realized how dangerous it was to wield the power of corruption, he knew he couldn''t defeat the cultists without it. With the mes of revenge burning in his heart, Xander approached the altar and knelt before it.


    "Your herald is here, Mordred. Grant me the power of corruption!"


    Almost instantly, the altar erupted with mes, and a demonic skull made of smoke appeared before him.


    "Wee to the temple of my master, Dreamwalker. You seek the power of corruption, but do you have the strength to wield it?"


    Xander recognized that voice at once. "So, it''s you, Gamkin. What a pleasant surprise," he snickered.


    "You are an arrogant one, Dreamwalker," the demonic skull shrieked at him.


    "I don''t have time for all your theatrics. Just tell me how to use this altar."


    "The Altar of Corruption demands sacrifice."


    Xander looked up at the skull with knitted eyebrows and asked, "What kind of sacrifice?"


    "The soul of a Mystic," Gamkin replied in an ominous voice, and the whole room filled up with dense gray smoke. "Every time you kill another Mystic, their soul will be bound to your Chronica. You can sacrifice their souls at the altar to acquire a corrupted weapon or card."


    "You can forget about it. I''m not sacrificing any souls to your master," Xander snapped back. "I don''t need Mordred''s help. I can handle the cultists and Ethereals on my own."


    Although Xander was hell bent on seeking revenge, he wasn''t blind enough to let his hatred get the better of him. He knew that sacrificing souls to a dark deity was never going to end well.


    Hearing Xander''s reply, Gamkin roared withughter. "Don''t be so sure, Dreamwalker. You will be back soon enough to seek his dark blessings."


    With those ominousst words, the skull dived onto the altar, dousing its mes. The smoke filling the room, gradually dissipated, and the door behind Xander was thrown open by a sudden gust of wind.


    As Xander walked out of the shrine, his radio started beeping. It was Chief Volgin on the other end.


    "These monsters are more resilient than we thought. We need your advice. Where are you?"


    Xander crushed one of the y tablets, equipping the Eyeless Watcher in his right hand. "I''m on my way. Just make sure none of the Ethereals get out of the park."

 Chapter 23: An unlikely duo

    <h4>Chapter 23: An unlikely duo</h4>


    Xander quickened his pace and made his way back to the main road. The news of monster sightings at Windbell Park had spread among the masses like wildfire, making them abandon everything and flee to the safety of their homes.


    The authorities had dered a state of emergency in Faros, imposing a curfew in the central regions. These drastic measures had left the streets utterly deserted, save for a few stray dogs and wandering kittens.


    Windbell Park was still half a mile away from Xander''s current location, and there wasn''t a single cab or public tram in sight.


    "Guess it''s time for a nice evening stroll," Xander mumbled sarcastically as he crossed the road.


    "Hey! Need a ride, Mr. Lone Wolf?" a voice called out from behind.


    Xander turned around curiously and spotted a familiar face riding a jet-ck motorbike.


    The guy was nearly the same age as Xander, but had a much leaner appearance. He had cropped ck hair and wore a pair of rimless sses that made him look a lot more mature than he actually was.


    "What the hell are you doing here? Didn''t watch the news?" Xander questioned back.


    The guy stopped his bike beside Xander and grinned. "I know what''s going on. The good people of Merantis need us. And I''m just trying to lend them a helping hand."


    "This isn''t a joke." Xander frowned, staring daggers at him. "Those things which attacked the people in the park are from the Nightscape. You should turn back while you still have the chance, Riktor."


    "Nope. I''m not heading back this time. Can''t let you hog all the limelight again," Riktor replied withplete nonchnce, ignoring Xander''s warnings.


    Just like Xander and Leena, Riktor West was also a Dreamwalker. However, due to his repeated botch-ups, and careless attitude he had been expelled from the Dreamwalkers'' Guild.


    Xander knew Riktor wasn''t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was certainly more stubborn than anyone he''d ever met.


    "Come on, man. What are you thinking? You need a ride, and I need someone to watch my back. We got this. Just hop on," Riktor added in a much softer tone this time.


    "You were thrown out of the guild for a reason. You are impulsive and reckless." Xander reprimanded him like an elder brother. "You can''t handle what''s out there. Walk away from this one."


    Riktor''s eyes moistened at this. "Don''t take this chance away from me. I deserve a second shot. This might be myst opportunity to prove that I ain''t worthless. Pleasee with me, Xander," he pleaded in a cracking voice.


    Seeing his teary eyes Xander couldn''t say no, but deep down he knew Riktor would be of little use to him in a real fight. If only he had a ride, he wouldn''t even give Riktor''s proposal a second thought, but right now he needed to reach the park as soon as possible.


    "Fine, just take me to the park," Xander sighed, climbing onto the back seat of Riktor''s bike.


    "Alright. Windbell Park, here wee!"


    Riktor''s confidence went up a notch now that the infamous Xander Nyxon was by his side. He twisted the throttle and rode off into the night, eager to clear his name.


    Speeding down the deserted roads, the Dreamwalkers finally reached a checkpoint barricaded by cop cars. They were promptly stopped by a patrol officer and asked to turn back around.


    Xander, however, paid no heed to the cop. Instead, he walked up to the barricade and turned on his radio. "I''m here, Chief. But your boys aren''t letting me through."


    Chief Volgin immediately dispatched Detective Locksley to escort Xander inside.


    The Detective was a bit surprised to see another guy with Xander since it was well-known that Xander preferred working alone. Regarding the spare with suspicious eyes, he asked, "Is he with you?"


    "What kind of a question is that? Of course I''m with him. We''re a team," Riktor replied before Xander had a chance to speak. "I''m a Dreamwalker too. I came here as soon as I heard the Ethereals had invaded our world. You have nothing to worry about, officer. We got this."


    Xander kept quiet for now and let Riktor apany him to the park entrance. There they were met by Chief Volgin and his other officers.


    The cops had managed to cordon off the whole area with spiked metal barricades and barbed wires. Behind the barricades were squads of armed patrol units equipped with semi-automatic pistols and 12-gauge shotguns.


    "I was starting to think that you had turned tail and run back home," Chief Volgin sniped, eyeing Xander.


    "Sorry to disappoint you, but I was just getting my weapons," Xander replied.


    "And who is this new fellow with you?"


    Xander hesitated for a while before answering. "He''s...a friend. Another Dreamwalker."


    "That''s good. We can use all the help we can get. The first responders tried to fight off those monsters, but those bastards overwhelmed them. It was a massacre. Our guns don''t seem to be doing too well against them. They are a lot more resilient than they appear."


    "Implings have hardened skin. You have to aim for their heads if you want to finish them off in one hit. Otherwise, it''s gonna be a waste of ammo." As Xander looked around him, he spotted stretchers carrying the wounded to ambnces. "How did you get these people out?"


    "We had help from other Mystics."


    Out of nowhere, two shadows rushed past Xander. He turned around sharply and reached for his gun. He was about to pull out the Eyeless Watcher when two Shadowmancers appeared in the distance. They were each holding a wounded child in their arms.


    The medics quickly rushed with their stretchers to carry the children to the ambnces.


    Before Xander and his friend had the chance to ask any more questions, the two Shadowmancers teleported in front of the Chief.


    "We think those two were thest of the wounded," the younger Shadowmancer replied.


    "Yep, it''s toote for the rest," the other added.


    Chief Volgin nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you for rescuing them. You''ve done us all a great service."


    "Just doing our part. But I still don''t see how you n on killing those monsters."


    "Yeah, those bastards are pretty fast, and that big one looks like it could tten a Gray Elephant in one blow."


    "You don''t need to worry about that. Xander and I will deal with your monsters," Riktor cut in before the Chief could reply. "Those creatures aren''t from this world. They are Ethereals from the Nightscape," he exined with a knowing expression.


    "Alright, then. I guess our job''s done here," the younger Shadowmancer replied, tying his hair into a neat bun.


    His partner lit a cigarette and added, "I thought Dreamwalkers were just a bunch of weirdoes fascinated with the ult arts. Never really imagined you people actually had any powers."


    Riktor was about tounch himself at the duo when Xander stepped in. "Thank you for your service. Now get back from the barricades. This could get ugly." Turning to the Chief, he added, "I''m going in. Ask your men to move out of the way."


    The Chief of Police picked up a megaphone from the nearest chair and spoke aloud, "The Dreamwalkers are here. Let them through. They''ll handle those...Ethereals."


    On the Chief''smand, the cops removed the barricades from the front entrance and stood aside. Xander and Riktor marched right up to the barred iron gate at the entrance and pulled out their weapons.


    One of the cops got up to open the padlock attached to the chained door, but Riktor stopped him. "There''s no need," he said, shooting the lock off with his polished white 12-gauge shotgun. "It''s showtime!"


    Xander didn''t like how overconfident Riktor was. Though the Implings were easy target practice for experienced Dreamwalkers, he was worried about the Goblin Berserker.


    "That''s a Dream Weapon. How did you manage to get your hands on it?" Xander asked, staring at Riktor''s shotgun.


    Riktor seemed a bit hesitant at first, but eventually revealed the truth. "I snuck into the Dreamwalkers'' Guild. My system said I''d find weapons there. And sure as hell, the chest was right there in my old room."


    "What about the other Dreamwalkers?"


    "There was no one else there. Not even Guild Master Arwin."


    "That''s impossible. The three founding members are always there. I visited the Guild Housest week. It was bustling with trainees."


    "I''m not lying, man. There wasn''t a single living soul in sight," Riktor added, touching his Chronica to prove he was telling the truth.


    Though Xander was worried about the rest of the Dreamwalkers in Faros, he let the matter slide for the moment. Right now, a greater challengey before him.


    "Stay by my side, and don''t get too cocky," Xander said, pushing the doors open.


    The Implings were still running wild across the park when the Dreamwalkers entered. Riktor retched at the sight of the corpses lying around them. Men, women, children, and even dogs. The freaks had ughtered everyone they could get their hands on.


    If not for the Shadowmancers and the timely intervention of the cops, the death toll would have risen even higher.


    "I don''t see the big guy anywhere," Riktor whispered to Xander. "Do you think he''s gone back inside the portal?"


    "No," Xander answered with absolute certainty. Staring into the distance he added, "The Goblin''s right there. He''s rummaging through the chopper''s wreckage. I think he''s found something interesting."


    "That should keep him distracted for a few minutes, right?" Riktor asked, his voice faltering as his eyes made out the obnoxious shape in the distance.


    "I don''t know. Just focus on the Implings for now," Xander replied, conjuring a card from his set. "y card: Destiny''s Child."


    Riktor was still loading his shotgun when the Implings picked up the scent of the new arrivals. They immediately turned around and started shrieking in their guttural voices.


    "They know we''re here. Get ready!" Xander cautioned, readying his revolver.


    A set of new notifications appeared on his system panel.


    [New objective: Eliminate the Implings in Windbell Park.]


    [Bonus objective: Defeat the Goblin Berserker.]

 Chapter 24: Windbell Park Massacre

    <h4>Chapter 24: Windbell Park Massacre</h4>


    Riktor pulled out the only card in his set and flicked it like a skilled gambler. "y card: Eagle Eye."


    "You take out the ones on the left, I''ll handle the rest," Xander advised.


    "These are just low-level Implings. I can kill the whole colony myself," Riktor snickered, with arrogance shing on his face.


    As the Implings rushed at them from all sides, Xander fired six shots in quick session, taking out five of them with perfect headshots and missing just one. With his revolver empty, he quickly holstered it and crushed the other y tablet to conjure his second weapon.


    The mere sight of the Dream Cleaver was enough to instill fear in the hearts of the whole colony.


    Unlike the Ghouls and Skeletal Warriors, the Implings weren''t mindless walking corpses. They possessed just enough intelligence to realize that getting anywhere close to the enchanted scythe would spell their doom.


    Seeing the Implings backing away in fear gave Riktor just enough encouragement to push forward and start popping heads.


    Blood and bone sttered all around as Riktor''s shotgun exploded their heads like ripe watermelons. The card that he had just yed boosted his uracy, making it impossible for him to miss even a single shot.


    "Nine down. More toe!" Riktor cried out ecstatically. Though he had a few doubts in the beginning, he was starting to enjoy it now.


    "Come on, Xander! If I keep going like this, I''m gonna leave you far behind. Get cracking, hotshot."


    "It''s not apetition," Xander grumbled. "Don''t drop your guard. These little freaks are cleverer than they look."


    "Apparently not clever enough to take on two Dreamwalkers," Riktor jeered as he continued shooting the Implings.


    Xander rushed in close with his scythe to take out therger ones at the back. Their bulkier appearance and longer ws made them stand out from the rest of the colony. Even an inexperienced Dreamwalker could tell that those five bigger ones were the Elders.


    As long as the Elder Implings were alive, the Grunts still had a slim chance of mounting a counterattack. To prevent this from happening, Xander shed through the Scavenger Implings and made his way to their backlines.


    Despite being afraid, the smaller Implings pounced at the Dreamwalker to protect the Elders. Xander''s scythe cut them down like ripe corn, slicing through flesh and bone in one fell swoop.


    Blood and guts sttered all around, dying the green des of grass in incarnadine hues. The Implings kept lunging at him, hoping to slice his throat open with their razor-sharp ws, but Xander''s quickened reflexes allowed him to dodge all their attacks effortlessly.


    Tearing through the smaller Implings in his way, Xander unleashed a devastating horizontal sh with his glowing scythe. The charged attack sent out a wave of chaos energy which obliterated the Elder Implings in a blinding sh of violet.


    With their leaders eliminated, Xander expected the rest of the Implings to flee, but the tables turned in an instant when another colony of Implings rushed out of the portal.


    "God damn it! This is gonna take forever," Xander grunted in frustration.


    "Don''t worry. I came prepared for this fight," Riktor yelled from the other side. Holstering his shotgun, he pulled out a Moondust Grenade from his pocket. "Time to make it rain. Let''s see how you handle this, fes!"


    Gripping the sparkling white orb tightly inside his sweaty palm, Riktor hurled it upward with all his strength.


    As the enchanted grenade exploded, the sky lit up with a blinding sh, and the whole park was bathed in light. For a fascinating second, it seemed like the sun had reimed the skies at the most unnatural hour, ushering in an early noon.


    Horrendous shrieks resonated across the park as Moondust rained from the sky, showering the Implings with dazzling white kes. Where it touched their bodies, their skin hissed and smoldered. Some tried to run to the safety of the nearest bushes while others rolled on the ground, squirming in agony.


    Though harmless to the creatures of the real world, Moondust was deadly for all Ethereals. It not only burned their bodies, but stripped them of all their powers, rendering them frail and vulnerable.


    "Works like a charm!" Riktor trilled with excitement. Reloading his shotgun as quickly as his sweaty fingers would allow, he jumped right back into action.


    The Implings, now crippled with pain, were easy targets for the reckless Dreamwalker. Riktor kept exploding their heads at will, trying his best to look like a thorough professional.


    "That''s twenty-nine! I''m on a roll!"


    The words were barely out of Riktor''s mouth when a massive boulder fell from the sky, crushing him under its weight. Blood spurted out of his mouth and nostrils, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.


    Riktor''s right hand jerked erratically for a few seconds as if trying to cling on to life by its fraying threads. And then it stopped. The shotgun fell out of his grasp as his arm pped the ground.


    It was a grotesque sight. One which sent shivers down Xander''s spine. Xander tried to look away but his eyes lingered on Riktor''s distorted face of their own volition. In that moment, time seemed to havee to a standstill.


    Xander''s hands turned cold as he recalled that dreadful moment when the boulder came crashing down on his partner, snuffing out his life in one careless second.


    A distant growl eventually shook Xander out of his deathlike stupor. The Implings weren''t the only ones affected by the Moondust shower.


    As Xander turned around, his eyes made out a gigantic figure standing behind the trees. It was the Goblin Berserker.


    So far, the Goblin had been busy collecting trinkets for its personal treasure trove, but the sudden stinging sensation upon its skin had driven it mad with rage. And the first human it had spied as it looked up happened to be Riktor.


    Sweat streamed down Xander''s smooth cheeks as he stared at the Goblin in the distance.


    It was nearly as tall as the tallest tree in the park, and far more muscr than its smaller cousins. Greenish veins popped up on its skin as its bulging biceps pulsated with rage.


    The Goblin was covered in patches of greenish-white hair from head to toe. Its massive chest was bare for all to see, but it wasn''tpletely naked. There was a thick leather quilt wrapped around its waist and a bracelet of bones strapped to its right wrist.


    The Goblin Berserker wasn''t a plundering thief like its moremon rtives. It was one of the strongest fighters in the pack and could decimate hordes of smaller enemies in seconds.


    Though it wasn''t proficient in wielding enchanted weapons or casting magic spells, its muscr physique, and boundless stamina easily made up for these minor shorings.


    Just looking at the enormous hunk of muscle and rage was enough to send lesser creatures running for cover, but Xander didn''t have the luxury of beating a hasty retreat.


    The Implings had him surrounded from all sides, and the Goblin Berserker was staring straight in his direction. Trying to flee would only make the job easier for the brute.


    "Xander''s gonna get killed out there. We need to send backup," Detective Locksley urged his superior.


    Chief Volgin, however, didn''t seem to share his concern. "I''m not pushing my men into a fight they cannot win. Xander is a Dreamwalker. If he can''t defeat those things, we barely stand a chance."


    "So, we''re just gonna stand here and watch?" the Detective asked, his voice ringing with disbelief.


    "I have notified the authorities. We stay here and wait for the Rapid Response Force to show up," the Chief replied.


    Inside the park, the Implings were inching closer to Xander, their snarling cries punctuating the deathly stillness.


    The sudden Moondust shower had dappled their shabby green skins, covering their bodies in hideous blisters. Xander could tell that the Implings were in excruciating pain, but it only made them more ferocious.


    The presence of the Goblin Berserker on the battlefield seemed to have emboldened their spirits, making them fearless beyond reason.


    Xander quickly conjured his Beast Companion card and summoned his direwolf. The sudden appearance of the ferocious predator caused panic in the ranks of the Implings, throwing them into disarray.


    Though these menacing pack hunters loved to overwhelm weaker prey with their sheer numbers, they were wary ofrger carnivores, and this dire wolf looked like it could easily make a meal out of everyst one of them.


    Having the trusty canine on his side gave Xander a fighting chance, but he still needed to deal with the Berserker. "Time to hunt, boy. Kill the Implings!" Xandermanded.


    Without giving the Implings any chance to react, the direwolf pounced on them and started tearing them apart, limb by limb. The frightened younglings ran for their lives as the beast sprinted across the park, targeting the Elder Implings and mauling them to death.


    While his direwolf kept the Implings upied, Xander focused on the bigger threat. Fixing his eyes on the Goblin Berserker, he raised his voice in a challenge. "You should have stayed in your own world. Riktor didn''t deserve to die like this. You hear me, you big fat oaf?"


    The Goblins weren''t the most intelligent of Ethereals, but the Berserker understood enough to grin at Xander. It raised the sturdy brown log it had fashioned into a club and growled at the Dreamwalker, exposing its rotting yellow teeth.


    "I''m gonna carve out your liver, you damn bastard!" Xander grunted and rushed at the Goblin with his scythe slicing through the Implings on his way like a hot knife through butter.


    The Goblinughed aloud as if mocking the Dreamwalker''s efforts. With its free hand resting on its bloated belly, the gluttonous giant waited patiently for Xander to get close.


    In a fit of blind rage, Xander sliced thest Elder Impling blocking his path, and charged at the Goblin Berserker.


    Even after seeing the glowing scythe in Xander''s hand, the Goblin didn''t look afraid. It held its ground, waiting for the Dreamwalker toe within his arm''s reach.


    As Xander stepped in close to strike at the Goblin''s legs, it took a wild swing with its club, sweeping an arc from left to right. The blunt weapon was inches away from Xander''s head when he jumped over it and shed at the Goblin''s right shin.


    Green blood oozed out of the jagged scar on its leg as it groaned in pain. The Goblin retaliated by trying to kick Xander with its other leg, but once more he proved to be far too agile.


    Though the Goblin Berserker''s enormous body gave it an unfair advantage against smaller enemies, this time it proved to be a bane. Its movements were obvious and slow, making it easy for Xander to dodge its attacks without breaking a sweat.


    Xander leaped in the air and swung his scythe again, sending out a devastating energy surge that split the Goblin''s right knee open. It stumbled backward, roaring in pain.


    Though the scythe looked tinypared to the Berserker''s massive proportions, the energy strike was imbued with chaos magic that was known to induce infernal agony in its victims.


    Sensing a sliver of opportunity, Xander rushed in to deal a decisive blow. But suddenly, the Goblin''s pupils turned blood-red, and the muscles on its body bulged out to make it appear even more menacing.


    The Goblin''s face was still distorted in pain, and blood was steadily dripping from its wounds, but it looked like there was still plenty of fight left in it.


    Although Xander had never encountered a Goblin Berserker during his several visits to the Nightscape, he had read plenty about them to realize what was happening.


    The searing pain induced by the Dream Cleaver''s chaotic touch had sent the Berserker into a Blood Rage, boosting both its physical strength as well as its agility.


    Xander breathed out a cold puff of air as the Goblin stared at him with raging eyes. Faced with the daunting challenge, the Dreamwalker clutched his scythe tightly and cursed his fate.


    As Riktor''s bloodied face shed before Xander''s eyes, his stomach knotted in fear. He knew one wrong step could spell disaster for him. But he wasn''t one to run away in fear.


    "It looks like I underestimated you," Xander chuckled softly, staring at the enraged Goblin Berserker. "But I''m still gonna kill you."

 Chapter 25: The Raging Berserker

    <h4>Chapter 25: The Raging Berserker</h4>


    Raising its club above its head, the Berserker roared with fury. Its heaving chest swelled to enormous proportions as its blood boiled with rage.


    Before Xander could n his next move, the enraged Goblin hurtled down the road like a mad elephant, trampling the Implings who were foolish enough to stand in its path. In this frenzied condition, it could barely distinguish between friend and foe.


    Driven by unbridled rage, the Berserker charged at the Dreamwalker and brought its club down with full force. Xander would have been pounded to a pulp if not for his quickened reflexes which helped him roll out of the way seconds before the club hammered the ground.


    Things however took an unexpected turn when a nking Impling caught Xander off-guard and managed to sh his back open with its ws.


    Xander quickly realized that the effects of ''Destiny''s Child'' were wearing off. He no longer had the advantage of possessing quicker reflexes.


    Sensing an opening, the Impling pounced on Xander, its filed teeth ready to bite into his neck. But before it could snap its jaws, Xander pulled out his revolver and shot it in its head.


    Though Xander had managed to dispatch the Impling, the damage had already been done. Its sharp ws had injected a potent venom into his bloodstream. Within seconds, the skin around the wound turned ck and mushy, giving off a foul rotten odor.


    Xander quickly fished out the Amulet of Life and clutched it tightly within his palm. The healing effects of the relic slowly sealed the wound, preventing further blood loss. However, it wasn''t powerful enough to reverse the effects of necrosis.


    The searing pain in his back made it difficult for Xander to focus on anything else. He realized that he was in no condition to take on the rampaging giant.


    While the Berserker was busy smashing the Implings around it, Xander sneaked across the park and hid behind a bench. With the amulet held tightly inside his palm, he closed his eyes and tried to ovee the pain.


    It wasn''t long before the amulet''s magic energy waspletely drained. Though its healing effect dulled his pain, the necrotic rot still remained.


    As the Goblin Berserker continued rampaging across the park, it chanced upon the bench behind which Xander was hiding. Its sturdy legs stomped across the field, ttening the corpses in its path and crushing the trimmed hedges bordering the walkway.


    Xander thought he was safe behind cover, but the Goblin ripped out the bench, exposing the Dreamwalker to its predatory gaze. Blobs of stinking white saliva flew out of its mouth as it growled like a hungry beast.


    Xander sprang to his feet as the Goblin''s heavy club came crashing down like a rock. It missed him by a mere inch as he jumped back at thest possible moment. However, before he could get away, the Berserker grabbed him with its free arm.


    Caught inside the creature''s unyielding grasp, Xander struggled like a fish out of water. His scythe dropped from his hand as the Goblin squeezed harder, making him squeal like a bleeding pig.


    "Let go of me!" Xander cried out in pain.


    All this time, Chief Volgin had been watching everything like a silent spectator. But seeing Xander about to meet his end, he finally gave his men permission to fire.


    The cops aimed for the Goblin''s torso and started shooting in measured bursts. A dozen pistols shed around the park, and half a dozen shotguns screeched and boomed, peppering the enormous Ethereal with bullets.


    The Berserker grumbled at the annoyance but refused to release Xander from its grip. Though the projectiles were powerful enough to bring down the Implings, the enormous Goblin''s thickened skin proved to be imprable.


    After firing at the Ethereal for two whole minutes, all the cops managed to aplish was make it even angrier. The bullets bruised its skin but hardly caused any serious damage.


    As Xander tried to wriggle free from the Goblin''s grasp, it tightened its grip and prepared to hurl him across the park.


    But before it could swing its arm, Xander''s white direwolf sneaked up on it and pounced on its shoulder. The Goblin tried to shake it off, but this only caused the beast to mp its jaws harder, piercing the giant''s green skin with its curved white fangs.


    The Goblin yelped in pain and loosened its grip on the Dreamwalker. This gave Xander just enough room to wriggle free. He slipped through its coarse fingers and dropped down onto a blueberry bush.


    Finally free from the Berserker''s grasp, Xander hobbled away to safety, clutching his aching right shoulder. The creature''s crushing grasp had squeezed him a like a squeaky rubber duck, nearly breaking his bones. A second longer, and he would have ended up with a dislocated shoulder.


    When all hope seemed to be lost, one of the Shadowmancers teleported to Xander.


    "You''ve done enough. The Implings are dead. Let me get you out of here. Give me your hand," he urged, extending his outstretched arm.


    Xander shook his head. "You don''t understand. This isn''t any ordinary Goblin. It''s a Berserker, and it''s gone into Blood Rage. If I don''t find a way to kill it now...it will smash through the barricades and ughter everyone in sight."


    "You''re insane. You already saw what happened to your friend¡ª"


    "That''s exactly why I can''t let the Berserker get out of this park."


    "And just how the hell are you gonna kill something that huge?" the Shadowmancer questioned, his voice sounding increasingly annoyed.


    "I''ll find a way. Just...leave it to me."


    "You''re a stubborn ass," the Shadowmancer scoffed. And with thosest words, he disappeared into a cloud of ck smoke, leaving Xander to fend for himself.


    By this time Xander had realized that a normal strategy would not work against the Berserker. There was no way he could match its physical strength, and now that it had gone into Blood Rage, dodging its attacks would be equally difficult.


    While the direwolf was fighting the Berserker, Xander scanned the park carefully. The only way he could get an advantage over the enormous Ethereal was by using his environment.


    Instead of trying to take the Berserker head-on like before, Xander made a beeline for the birdwatching tower. Using the sturdy woodendder, he climbed up and reached the top of the tower.


    From the open balcony, Xander had a clear view of his surroundings. The tower provided him with much-needed elevation, allowing him to eliminate the Berserker''s height advantage.


    The white direwolf did its best to injure the Berserker, leaving it exhausted from the struggle. But in the end, the enormous Goblin proved to be too much for the beast to handle. It grabbed the direwolf''s tail and yanked it away from its shoulder.


    One club to the head was all it took to finish the direwolf off.


    "You did good, buddy," Xander whispered from above. Though his direwolf had perished, he didn''t look too concerned since the beast would eventually be revived and added to his card deck.


    The only thing Xander regretted was allowing Riktor to join him. He would have still been alive if Xander had refused to give in to his entreaties.


    "I''m sorry, Riktor. I hope your soul finds peace in Arestra''s care. I promise I''ll not let this bastard walk away."


    With those final words, Xander climbed on top of the wooden railing bordering the open balcony and taunted the Berserker. "Hey, ugly! I''m over here!"


    Hearing the Dreamwalker''s voice, the Goblin turned around and locked its eyes on the tower.


    Xander held out his right hand and called out to his scythe. The Dream Cleaver disappeared from the ground and reappeared in Xander''s right hand.


    As the Goblin Berserker came running toward the tower, Xander pulled out his revolver with his left hand and fired six quick shots that took out the creature''s eyes.


    Unable to rely on its sense of sight any longer, the Berserker fumbled around in the darkness, taking wild swings with its club.


    Xander waited for it to get near the tower and as soon as it was within range, he holstered his gun. Gripping his scythe with both hands, he jumped down andnded on the Berserker''s back.


    The Dream Cleaver''s spiked de sliced through the Goblin''s nape, cleaving a vertical furrow along the Ethereal''s back. Xander dragged the scythe down with all his strength, splitting the Goblin''s spine and spilling its innards.


    The blind Berserker roared in pain and stumbled forward. Xander jumped down and watched as the enormous Ethereal hobbled across the park for a whole minute before copsing to the ground like a lump of lifeless meat.


    [Objectiveplete: Eliminate the Implings!]


    [500 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 200/1000.]


    [Level up!]


    [New Level: 3.]


    [One Skill Point Acquired.]


    [50*2 Nightmare Coins Acquired.]


    [50*2 Nightmare Shards Acquired.]


    [Bonus objectiveplete: Defeat the Goblin Berserker!]


    [1000 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 200/1500]


    [Level up!]


    [New Level: 4.]


    [One Skill Point Acquired.]


    [100*2 Nightmare Coins Acquired.]


    [200*2 Nightmare Shards Acquired.]


    [Relic obtained: Dagger of Diminishing.]


    Xander breathed a sigh of relief and slumped down on the nearest bench to rest his aching body.


    As he looked up, a polished ck dagger with a bone handle dropped from the sky. He grabbed it mid-air, but before he could take a closer look at its engraved de, his Chronica started vibrating inside his pocket.


    "What the hell is this now?"


    Putting the dagger inside his jacket, he pulled out his pocket watch. Suddenly, a bright white orb flew into it, and the watch''s dial radiated with an eerie green glow.


    [Mystic Soul obtained: 1.]


    [Chronica has been empowered!]

 Chapter 26: A willing sacrifice

    <h4>Chapter 26: A willing sacrifice</h4>


    Xander''s eyes lit up with suppressed rage as he realized what had just happened. The Mystic Soul that his Chronica had absorbed belonged to none other than Riktor.


    He watched helplessly as Riktor''s lifeless body turned pale and his lips changed from peachy pink to cold blue.


    "I don''t want to take his soul!" Xander cried out in frustration with the Chronica pressed tightly between his fingers. "I never gonna use that altar. You hear me, Mordred?" he yelled, staring at the clear night sky.


    "The night beckons the weary traveler toe home. One journey ends, and another begins. There is no good or evil, neither right nor wrong; only an undying thirst to live on the edge of terror," a familiar voice echoed inside his mind.


    "I never agreed to this," Xander shouted back, recognizing it was Mordred speaking to him.


    However, the reply never came. Xander was slowly starting to realize that by agreeing to be the dark deity''s herald, he had unknowingly be a pawn in his hands.


    It became adequately clear to the Dreamwalker that Mordred''s only goal wasn''t to stop Shamura. His ns went far beyond mere sibling rivalry.


    There was no doubt in Xander''s mind that the Lord of Terror wasn''t doing this out of the goodness of his heart. However, Mordred''s true motives still remained a mystery to him.


    "I''m not gonna give you what you want. You chose the wrong herald, Mordred."


    With thosest words, Xander shoved his Chronica back inside his jacket and turned to face the cops. Raising his right thumb, he signaled to the Chief of Police, indicating that the coast was clear.


    On Chief Volgin''s orders, a squad of patrol officers moved in to secure the park. Once they gave the green light, a team of medics rushed inside to check the bodies on the ground for signs of life.


    Before a minute could pass, the corpses of the Ethereals disappeared, leaving behind heaps of powdery ck ash.


    "Is this normal?" Chief Volgin asked, approaching the Dreamwalker.


    "Ethereals may look like they are made of flesh and bone, but they are just manifestations of our happiest dreams and darkest nightmares. When killed, their corporeal bodies cease to exist," Xander exined, still staring nkly into the darkness.


    Detective Locksley understood what was going through Xander''s mind. cing aforting hand on his shoulder, he whispered in a heavy voice, "I''m sorry for what happened to your friend. We''ll return his body to his family."


    Xander slowly turned around and looked the Detective in the eye. "I''m sorry for your losses as well. But this is only the beginning. I''ve seen what lies ahead."


    "Are you referring to that vision?" Chief Volgin questioned.


    "Yes," Xander replied with the same nk expression on his face.


    "How do we stop it from happening?" the Chief asked.


    "We have to find the cultists, but I feel it''s already a bit toote for that," Xander sighed.


    "What do you mean toote? It''s just¡ª"


    Before the Chief could finish, a young officer came running in and blurted out, "The...radio has been...buzzing non-stop. There have been monster sightings all over Merantis. At least...five more portals have been confirmed in the neighboring cities."


    Those were thest words he wanted to hear. Chief Volgin''s eyes widened as he realized the situation was starting to spiral out of control. Any other cop would have pressed the panic button under such circumstances, but the Chief was a man of tremendous resolve.


    "We have to call the Imperial Army. Maybe enlist the help of the different Mystic Guilds," Detective Locksley suggested. There was panic written all over his face, just like the rest of the cops.


    Chief Volgin however, handled things as calmly as possible. "Tell the men to evacuate the civilians from the danger zones and set up defensive perimeters. These Ethereals might look scary, but they aren''t invincible. We''ve already retaken Windbell Park within a couple of hours. There''s no need to panic."


    "Oh, this park isn''t safe yet," Xander butted in.


    "But you already killed all the Ethereals." Chief Volgin looked at the Dreamwalker with knitted eyebrows.


    Xander pointed at the portal behind the birdwatching tower. "As long as that door remains open, the Ethereals can cross whenever they want. We have to close the portal to prevent that."


    "And how exactly are you going to do that?"


    "Same as always," Xander huffed. "I have to enter the portal and set things right."


    "You mean there''s another Last Memory waiting on the other side?" Detective Locksley asked.


    Xander nodded. "You catch on pretty quick, Detective. You''re partially correct. What you see before you is a Nightmare Portal. But I have no idea how it was conjured. Although judging by the Ethereals that came out of it, I have a hunch it involves a tragedy."


    "So, the cultists murdered someone else?" Detective Locksley questioned back.


    At this, Xander pulled out his Chronica and raised it to the level of his eyes. "There''s only one way to find out. I need to inspect the park."


    "My men can help out with that. What are you looking for?" The Chief asked.


    "Medallions, candles, bone dust, ceremonial daggers, dead bodies with runic symbols. Anything rted to the cultists," Xander replied, still staring at his Chronica. "Ask your men to check all the bodies before sending them to the morgue. If they find any strange markings, they are to report to me."


    With that, Xander walked away, and Chief Volgin ordered his men to spread out. Detective Locksley went back to his car to ry the Chief''s orders to the rest of the cops in the city.


    Though Xander usually preferred to keep a low profile and stay out of trouble, this time trouble had found him. Being a Dreamwalker came with its share of problems, but he had just made things a lot moreplicated by bing Mordred''s herald.


    Xander wasn''t the type of person to y hero for the greater good, but now even if he wanted, he couldn''t walk away from this. A Nightmare Portal this close to his apartment was thest thing he needed.


    While the copsbed the rest of the park, Xander walked past the birdwatching tower and made his way to the portal. Suddenly, something dangling from the branch of an oak tree caught his attention.


    As the moon peeped through the veil of clouds, Xander made out the naked figure of a skinny young man hanging from the tree. There was a gray noose around his neck, the same kind that he had seen in Esther''s case.


    Xander quickly walked up to the tree and started searching the ground. Before long, he found a ck robe buried under a pile of leaves and a ck crystal ball filled with red smoke. All the pieces fitted perfectly now.


    "I found the body," Xander yelled out.


    Chief Volgin and Detective Locksley came running to his location.


    "Damn those bastards!" Chief Volgin muttered angrily. "These must be the same ones who murdered my Esther. They are not getting out of this city."


    The Chief was about to radio his men to set up checkpoints on all major roads and highways when Xander stopped him.


    "No one killed this guy. Hemitted suicide. A willing sacrifice," Xander revealed. "Normally a suicide would create a Death Dream, but it was different in his case. He didn''t take his life to end his suffering, but happily offered himself as a sacrifice to the dark deity; hence the Nightmare Portal."


    "And just how can you be so sure?"


    Xander pointed at the guy''s bare chest. "He''s got the red feather tattooed on his body. It''s a mark of submission to Shamura."


    "A ck feather isn''t some rare tattoo. You will find plenty of normal people have it in Faros," the Chief retorted.


    Xander shook his head. "This one''s different. It''s pointing downward and has a pair of ck dots under it. Those two dots are the Eyes of Darkness. The cultists believe their deity watches over them at night."


    Both the Chief and the Detective were surprised by Xander''s knowledge of the subject. "How do you know all this?" Chief Volgin asked, with a note of suspicion in his voice.


    Xander sensed the hostility in the senior cop''s voice and read into his thoughts. "You know you''d be dead by now if I was one of the cultists. These little details were mentioned in my sister''s diary. You have nothing to worry about."


    Though Detective Locksley never had any doubts about Xander, Chief Volgin was still unsure about trusting him, especially since he knew so much about Shamura.


    "I need to know that we can trust you," Chief Volgin said.


    Xander turned around and frowned at him. "You''re the one who''s been hiding things. You never told me Esther wasn''t your real niece. She was adopted."


    "I''ve always treated her as my own blood," the Chief grumbled. "And I don''t see how this information is helpful in this situation."


    Xander looked the Chief in the eye and replied, "Your niece was a Harkin. She had noble blood running through her veins. Her ancestors were blessed by Mordred himself. That''s why the cultists targeted her. They needed her to free Shamura from her binds."


    Detective Locksley looked at the Chief, but he turned his eyes away. His voice turned feeble as he began his tale. "I adopted Esther when she was just three. The orphanage said they had no information about her background. I knew something was fishy, but I just wanted to bring her home. If only I had known...I could have been more careful. I could have saved her."


    "I''m sorry for your loss, but there''s nothing we can do for the dead," Xander said.


    Chief Volgin nodded and wiped his foggy eyes with his handkerchief. "Let''s try to save those who are still alive. What''s your n?"


    Xander put his Chronica away and took out a ck crystal ball. "I''m gonna enter the portal and deal with this cultist''s Last Memory. If I don''t return before dawn, send word to Leena. She''ll know what to do."

 Chapter 27: The mysterious wanderer

    <h4>Chapter 27: The mysterious wanderer</h4>


    Another Death Nightmarey before Xander. And if Esther''s nightmare was anything to go by, it wasn''t going to be easy.


    To close the portal connecting the real world to the Nightscape, Xander needed to travel to the cultist''s nightmare and find his Last Memory. However, he had learned his lessons from his previous visit to the Nightscape.


    Xander knew it would be foolish to rush in without preparation, so he first opened his system profile to view his skill tree. Reaching level 4 had opened plenty of options for him. He now had two extra skill points that he could use to upgrade his basic skills or unlock something new.


    To keep things simple, Xander focused on his level 1 skills. Carefully viewing his skill tree, he decided to use the extra skill points for two basic card upgrades.


    [Skill upgraded sessfully!]


    [Card Collector level 2: The Dreamwalker can store ten cards in his deck.]


    [Skill upgraded sessfully!]


    [Dealer''s Gift level 2: The Dreamwalker can carry five cards in his set.]


    With the upgrades out of the way, Xander took out his recently acquired dagger and spoke to his system. "I need a relic description."


    [Relic equipped: Dagger of Diminishing.]


    [The Dagger of Diminishing is a cursed relic that can allow the Dreamwalker to weaken his enemies. Once used, the dagger loses its magic potency and bes dormant. To awaken the relic again, the Dreamwalker must dip it in a Well of Despair.]


    "Well of Despair, huh? Doesn''t seem like it can get much better than this," Xander chortled sarcastically. Though the dagger could prove useful against tougher Ethereals, awakening it was going to be a pain in the arse.


    Xander walked up to the portal and smashed the crystal ball into the ground. However, this time his soul didn''t split into two halves.


    The wall separating the two worlds had been ruptured by the cultists, creating a tear in the fabric of reality. And this rift allowed Xander to simply walk through the portal and enter the void in his corporeal form.


    [The Infinite Void wees the herald of Mordred]


    [Rest your weary feet and embrace the gift of darkness,]


    [For the journey never ends.]


    The ominous words floating before his eyes made Xander feel uneasy.


    Inside the portal, Xander found himself facing a shattered ss mirror. It was so fogged up that he could barely make out his face. As he tried to touch it, the ss turned blood red and sucked him inside.


    On the other side, he opened his eyes to the familiar sight of the infinite space decked with stars. Just like before, there were three paths before him¡ªone leading to the statue of Amara, another leading to the gilded chest, and the third ending in front of a sandstone arch.


    Since Xander already has his weapons on him, he walked up to the statue of Amara and uttered the incantation to ess his deck of cards.


    Now that he could carry five cards with him, he no longer had to choose the best ones. Instead, he was able to add his whole deck to his current set.


    Having restocked his cards, Xander jumped onto the path in the middle and took it straight to the arch. As he stepped in through the fog, a frantic scream reached his ears.


    Once the fog cleared away, Xander''s eyes beheld a most peculiar sight. In front of himy a confusing world that left him puzzled.


    Xander was standing in the middle of a desert with tumbling red sand dunes stretching out as far as the eye could see. The aridndscape was dotted with ck cactus nts and thorny red bushes.


    The sky overhead was a depressing shade of gray that made it impossible to figure out whether it was night or day. The only sources of light in this vast desert were the fireflies twinkling in the hazy darkness.


    As Xander took his first steps, a powerful gust of wind pped him on the face, showering him with sand. He instinctively closed his eyes and shaded his face with the back of his palm.


    The winds blew from the east leveling the smaller mounds of sand, but died just as quickly. When the Dreamwalker reopened his eyes, the sky had changed drastically. It was now glittering with stars as far as the eye could see.


    Strangely enough, the fireflies had all disappeared without any trace. It was as if the wind had blown them away along with the clouds.


    There were no uniquendmarks in the desert. And the only thing which offered some sense of direction was Xander''s Chronica. Its hour hand pointed at two and its minute hand was stuck on twelve.


    Xander was about to open his system panel when something else caught his attention. He saw a shadowy figure approaching from the distance.


    Expecting to encounter a hostile Ethereal, Xander pulled out his revolver and took a defensive stance.


    As the hazy silhouette came near, Xander saw that it was a man dressed in fine muslin, riding a camel decked with precious jewels.


    Judging by the man''s lofty silk turban decorated with rubies and emeralds, it was easy to mistake him for an exiled king. However, the heavy sacks hanging from his camel suggested otherwise.


    "Greetings, traveler. How goes the night?" the man asked, bringing his camel to a halt a few paces away from Xander.


    "Who are you?" Xander questioned back. "You don''t look like an Ethereal."


    In response, the man removed the ck veil covering his face and smiled politely.


    Xander panicked as he saw that the man''s face was wrapped in rolls of brown cotton. Pointing his gun at the camel rider, he shouted, "Who sent you here?"


    At this, the man''s eyes shed green for a moment and his voice turned coarse and grainy just like the sand around him. "I know no master. The Nightscape is my home, and all travelers are my friends."


    "We are inside a Death Nightmare. It''s not exactly the right ce to be making friends," Xander mocked, aiming for the man''s head. "Who are you? And what do you want from me?"


    "I am just a wanderer of these sands. And I offer my services to all Dreamwalkers who can afford my fees," the stranger answered.


    "Your services?" Xander asked, a bit confused. "Are you some kind of mercenary for hire?"


    The stranger grinned at this. His voice became dreamy and soft as he continued, "I am known by many names, Dreamwalker. Some call me the Merchant of Fate while others address me simply as the Whispering Wanderer."


    "The Whispering Wanderer. It really rolls off the tongue, doesn''t it?" Xander snickered. "You said you''re a merchant. What are you selling?"


    "Everything," the merchant whispered back. "Cards, weapons, relics, and even enchantments."


    Xander had heard tales of a mysterious trader peddling his fares in the Nightscape. However, he had always dismissed them as rumors. So far, he had never encountered any Ethereals that fitted the description. Even after hearing everything, he remained wary of the stranger.


    To put the Dreamwalker at ease, the man in the turban climbed down from his camel and snapped his fingers. Instantly, a glowing yellow panel opened mid-air with smoky red letters running from left to right.


    [Wee to the Store of Fate.]


    [Everything can be yours for the right price.]


    Xander knew he could use some new cards and weapons, but he wasn''t really sure about the payment.


    The mysterious merchant read his thoughts before he had the chance to speak. "Coins for the weapons, and shards for the cards," he whispered and pped his hands twice.


    Immediately a selection of all avable items appeared before Xander.


    There was one Nightmare Card for sale, along with two Dream Weapons and a mysterious relic. However, the prices were too steep for him.


    [Demonic Grasp (Nightmare Card). Price: 5000 Nightmare Shards]


    [Emperor''s de (Dream Weapon). Price: 5000 Dream Coins.]


    [Divine Serpent (Dream Weapon). Price: 3000 Dream Coins.]


    [Medallion of Fear (Legendary Relic). Price: 5000 Nightmare Shards + 5000 Dream Shards.]


    "ess inventory," Xander spoke to his system.


    [Dreamwalker''s inventory is open for perusal.]


    [Cards remaining: 5.]


    [1.Eye of Truth (Dream Card)]


    [2. Oracle''s Protection (Dream Card)]


    [3. Destiny''s Child (Dream Card)]


    [4. Beast Companion (Dream Card)]


    [5. Arctic Kiss (Dream Card)]


    [Nightmare Shards collected: 500.]


    [Nightmare Coins collected: 350.]


    [Dream Shards: 0.]


    [Dream Coins: 0.]


    [Extra Skill Points: 0.]


    It was just as Xander had guessed. He didn''t have enough to purchase any new items. However, there was still the option of buying enchantments.


    "I clearly don''t have enough to afford anything shiny. But I''m still interested in your enchantments."


    "Of course, Dreamwalker. I can enchant your weapons for a modest fee of one hundred coins. The cards, however,e at a dearer price. Five hundred shards for each card."


    All Xander had on him at the moment, were Dream Cards, but he had no Dream Coins saved in his inventory.


    "I guess the cards will have to wait," Xander mumbled to himself before addressing the merchant. "I need you to enchant my weapons."


    "As youmand, Dreamwalker. Hand over the weapon you wish to be enchanted."


    Xander didn''t feel too good about handing his weapons to a stranger in an unfamiliar Nightscape, so he held on to his scythe and only gave the merchant his revolver.


    "Ah, the Eyeless Watcher. A fascinating weapon!" The merchant eximed in a thrilled voice.


    Taking the gun from Xander, he started writing something on it with a golden paintbrush. Glowing red symbols appeared on the revolver''s barrel and then faded just as quickly.


    The squirming ck strands covering the weapon gradually turned red and its barrel elongated by an inch.


    "It is done. Time to collect my payment," the merchant said, handing the weapon back to Xander.


    Xander pulled out a pouch of coins from his inventory and tossed it to the merchant. The man didn''t bother counting it, but just put it close to his right ear and jingled it twice.


    "Thank you for the coins," the merchant said with a graceful bow.


    [100 Nightmare Coins removed]


    [Nightmare Coins remaining: 250.]


    [Eyeless Watcher re-acquired.]


    [Dark enchantment added.]


    [y Ethereals to empower the weapon.]


    Xander was impressed by the merchant''s work. He was still staring at his enchanted revolver when the stranger spoke again.


    "I must go now. There are more riches to be acquired."


    "How do I find you again?" Xander asked, looking up.


    The merchant climbed back on his camel and replied, "I am a wanderer, Dreamwalker. You cannot find me. No one can. But if fate chooses, our paths shall cross again."


    With those propheticst words, the merchant turned into sand and was blown away by the whistling wind.

 Chapter 28: The second nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 28: The second nightmare</h4>


    Left all alone in the desert once again, Xander found plenty of time to ponder his recent encounter. Even though he had been on this path for two years, he had never encountered a merchant during any of his visits to the Nightscape.


    He wondered if there were other such merchants beyond the veil or if this wandering being was the only one of his kind. There had been ounts of a mysterious trader visiting the more experienced Dreamwalkers, but the descriptions always varied from one person to another.


    Xander would have liked to get to the bottom of this mystery, but since there were more pressing matters at hand, he couldn''t dally any longer.


    A few minutes after the merchant had left, Xander''s system disyed a new notification.


    [Wee to the Nightscape]


    [New Objective: Traverse the shifting sands and find the Last Memory.]


    [Bonus Objective: Unseal the scroll to learn its secrets.]


    Seeing the words shing on the panel, Xander remembered the relic he had acquired from the vision. Unzipping his leather jacket, he fished out the scroll from its inner pocket.


    "How exactly am I supposed to unseal this?" he asked his system.


    [Hint: Perform the Ritual of Light at the Shrine of Kiya to unseal unidentified relics.]


    "I suppose a map would have helped," Xander sighed, ncing at his Chronica. Since the hour hand always pointed in the direction of the Last Memory, it was clear that the minute hand was indicating the way to the secondary objective.


    Heading straight north would lead him right to the Shrine of Kiya, but the Last Memory was located on the northeastern side. Xander had to choose between the two objectives.


    After a bit of pondering, Xander decided to head for the Shrine. Though closing the portal was of prime importance, he had a hunch that the scroll he had obtained from the vision was connected to the cultists.


    Out here in the Nightscape, time was on Xander''s side since each hour spent here was only equivalent to ten minutes in the real world. He had no reason to hurry, but the longer he stayed inside this nightmare, the more hostile it would be.


    Without wasting another precious second, Xander used his Beast Companion card to summon the white direwolf once more. Climbing on its back, hemanded it to follow the trail of withered palm trees which snaked around the dunes.


    Although riding the direwolf was faster than traversing the desert on foot, the presence of a summoned entity in the Nightscape was bound to attract unwanted attention.


    Riding the howling western wind, the direwolf darted across the sandy terrain like an arrow. Xander held on tight, grabbing the creature''s fluffy white fur and leaning forward.


    Cold cerulean eyes watched from the darkness as the beast bounded over the tumbling mounds of sand overlooked by barren palm trees in the distance.


    Xander was about to pull out his Chronica to see if they were on the right path when a series of unearthly howls shattered the silence, sending shivers down his spine.


    As the Dreamwalker looked around, he saw ghastly canines standing atop the surrounding dunes. There was not a shred of flesh on their dull white bones, and their skeletal mes were enveloped in pale blue mes.


    "What the hell are me Barghests doing inside a desert? This is one messed up nightmare," Xander mumbled, his throat drying up in fear.


    Barghests were usually found inside deste woonds and swamps. These ghastly Ethereals were born out of dark magic and existed for the sole purpose of hunting wandering travelers and smaller Ethereals.


    Having encountered a Barghest in the ruins of an old moon temple before, Xander knew it was almost impossible to outrun these creatures. They were unrelenting while pursuing their prey and could cover hundreds of miles in mere minutes.


    me Barghests were among the most powerful spectral pack hunters in the Nightscape. Even a pair of these spectral beasts could set entire forests aze, and here Xander had run into five of them.


    Any experienced Dreamwalker knew that the best way to deal with a Barghest was by undoing the curse that had turned them into ethereal entities. However, to force a Barghest into its corporeal form, one needed to lead it into the light.


    Unlike the undead, Barghests weren''t afraid of sacred shrines and could easily enter hallowed ground. The only light they feared was the bright glow of the morning sun.


    Unfortunately for Xander, it was the middle of the night and since this was a twisted nightmare, there was no telling when the sun would rise.


    The only other way to harm a me Barghest while it was still in its spectral form was by dousing its mes. For that, however, Xander needed to find a source of water.


    With the Barghests growling behind, Xander pped his direwolf on its side to make it sprint faster. Even though the desert looked bone dry, the presence of palm trees and clumps of Dream Dorrels suggested the presence of a nearby oasis.


    As the Barghests quickened their pace and closed the distance, Xander made his direwolf turn to its right and jump over the bushes. Once they were clear of the Dream Dorrels, he looked over his shoulder and fired at the egg-shaped golden berries hanging from the prickly green strands.


    The Dream Dorrels being sentient nts immediately responded to the threat by sprouting thorny vines andshing out furiously in all directions. Xander had managed to get far away by this time, but the Barghests weren''t so lucky.


    Before the cursed Ethereals could leap over the bushes, the Dream Dorrel vinestched onto their bony limbs, holding them down. Out of the five Barghests, not even one managed to get past the bushes.


    By firing at the Dream Dorrel berries, Xander had triggered an improvised trap. It was the best idea he could think of at that moment, but he knew it wasn''t going to hold back the Barghests for long.


    Xander''s eyes kept scanning the horizon as he frantically searched for any signs of a water source. His direwolf was gradually beginning to tire, but it kept pushing on.


    And just when all hope seemed to be lost, Xander spied a pond of crystal clear water in the distance surrounded by desert lilies and palm trees.


    By this time the Barghests had managed to burn through the vines holding them down and break free once more. Their howls resounded across the barren desert as they picked up the Dreamwalker''s trail.


    Xander drove his direwolf hard, pping its sides like a frenzied jockey. The beast bounded across the desert as fast as its tired muscles could carry it.


    "We''re almost here. That''s¡ª


    The words were pushed back into Xander''s drying throat as he discovered that the oasis was nothing more than an illusion. There was no pond there, not even a small puddle. Just like many others before, he too had been tricked by the Nightscape.

 Chapter 29: Sands of chaos

    <h4>Chapter 29: Sands of chaos</h4>


    The desert stretched on for miles in every direction. There was red sand as far as the eye could see. Xander soon realized he had little hope of finding a water source in this aridndscape.


    Before the Dreamwalker could think of another n, the Barghests caught up with him. They surrounded him from all sides, trapping him in a circle and cutting off all escape routes.


    With nowhere left to run, Xander jumped down from his direwolf and pulled out his revolver. Even though he knew it was pointless, he fired at the Barghests in hopes of scaring them. But the magic bullets went right through their spectral forms, leaving them unscathed.


    Though Xander tried to remain as calm as possible, the Barghests could already sense his fear. They could pounce on him whenever they wanted, and tear him to pieces, but the cursed Ethereals decided to y with him a little longer.


    Unlike the other Ethereals, these spectral entities didn''t feed on flesh and blood. Instead, these cursed creatures drew nourishment from negative emotions.


    Xander knew they weren''t going to kill him outright, but take turns feeding on his fear. And both of his weapons werepletely useless against them as long as they remained in their spectral forms.


    The best way to deal with these cursed beings was by using elemental magic that harnessed the power of water, but the only elemental card Xander had on him was Arctic Kiss. And ice was going to do precious little against me Barghests.


    While the four Barghests kept circling the Dreamwalker, the fifth one bared its fangs and took on the form of a ck wolf with blood-red eyes and a long bushy tail.


    Just as the Barghest was about to attack Xander, his direwolf stepped between them. Despite being a summoned entity, the direwolf was fiercely loyal, and over the years it had developed such a close-knit bond with the Dreamwalker that its protective instincts kicked in seeing him in danger.


    Though Barghests weren''t easily intimated by other Ethereals, Xander''s snow-white direwolf was nearly double the size of the ck wolf in front. And its ferocious growl was enough to cause the approaching Barghest to back away cautiously.


    While the direwolf was distracted by the feral wolf in front of it, one of the Barghests pounced on it from the left, sinking its teeth into its back. But before it could pin the direwolf down, the beast turned around and shed at the Barghest with its ws.


    Xander was surprised to see that even in its spectral form, the Barghest yelped in pain. Just then, he remembered something about his direwolf.


    "Of course, you''re from the Dreamscape. I almost forgot you can touch other Ethereals even in their spectral forms." Xander backed away from the Barghests while they focused their attention on his direwolf.


    Though the summoned direwolf was strong enough to take on an entire pack of feral wolves, the me Barghests proved to be too much for it to handle. Their burning ws singed its white hide, charring its flesh.


    What followed next was a coordinated attack, with the Barghests pouncing on the white direwolf from all sides. Some went for its legs, while others mped their jaws on its back. Still, it kept fighting with thest ounce of life left inside it.


    Xander realized that his direwolf would soon be overwhelmed, and once the Barghests had killed his beast, they were going to turn to him next. Even if he tried to run away, there was nowhere he could hide in this vast open desert.


    With the limited cards at Xander''s disposal, there was little he could do against a whole pack of Barghests. His direwolf''s valiant efforts only bought him a few extra seconds. Soon, the spectral canines tore the beast to pieces and narrowed their glimmering red eyes on the Dreamwalker.


    Having exhausted all his regr options, Xander took his chances with a gamble. As the growling Barghests closed in on the Dreamwalker, he took out thest crystal ball from his jacket and tossed it upward. Then with a sudden, jerky movement, he shot the crystal out of the sky.


    The ss shattered to pieces, releasing the dense ck smoke trapped inside. Secondster, the whole desert lit up with a blinding sh, and the ground started trembling under Xander''s feet.


    The void energy released from the crystal distorted the Nightscape, unleashing unbridled chaos throughout thend. Wild winds swept across the desert, creating a sudden sandstorm that swallowed everything in its path.


    Even the Barghests were sucked into the swirling vortex as the winds picked up speed.


    Patches of dull violet started peeping through the gray clouds above as lightning shed across the sky, cracking its thunderous whip without mercy.


    As the Death Nightmare ruptured at its seams, the trees and bushes scattered around the desert began to distort and it started raining hailstones.


    Chunks of ice asrge as boulders came crashing down all around the Dreamwalker. Xander quickly conjured Destiny''s Child and boosted his reflexes to dodge the icy rocks raining from the sky.


    Hundreds of glowing red portals started appearing all across the desert, but they flickered out of existence before Xander could get close.


    Xander kept running at full tilt, frantically dodging the boulders and cutting through the sandstorm.


    By destroying a Nightmare Crystal while still inside a Death Nightmare, Xander had disrupted the delicate bnce of the Nightscape, and the ensuing chaos was now beginning to plunge the whole desert into madness.


    It had been a desperate measure to escape from the clutches of the Barghests, but by resorting to such extremes, Xander had destabilized the Death Nightmare, causing it to merge with the void.


    The disturbance quickly spread across the whole desert, and the sky was torn asunder by a rapidly expanding rift through which the Infinite Void started bleeding into the Nightscape.


    Bestial cries and guttural groans echoed across the desert as the Ethereals trapped within the Death Nightmare lost their connection to the Nightscape and started bing more and more agitated.


    "Ohh crap! I should have thought about this before," Xander cursed under his breath as he continued running across the desert.


    Suddenly, a ck portal opened under his feet and sucked him in before he could jump out of the way. It teleported him straight inside the Shrine of Kiya.


    Just as he thought he could breathe easy, he noticed that the shrine too was beginning to distort.


    The pirs and braziers inside the old brickwork structure flickered like hazy afterimages, and little pieces of stone started flying out of its walls. The whole ce was falling apart, unable to resist the pull of the void.


    "God damn it. Not now!" Xander hurried toward the altar and ced the mysterious scroll on top. "How the hell do I perform the ritual?" he shouted hysterically.


    [To begin the Ritual of Light, ignite all the braziers in the shrine.]


    Xander ripped out a burning torch from the nearest pir and dashed across the room, lighting all five braziers from left to right.


    As he returned to the altar, the scroll floated up and unfolded to reveal a nk white parchment with a runic symbol painted in the middle.


    [Ritual of Lightpleted.]


    [Bonus objectivepleted: Unseal the scroll to learn its secrets.]


    [500 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 700/1500.]


    [Current Level: 4.]


    [100*2 Nightmare Coins Acquired.]


    Xander reached out with his right hand and carefully grabbed the floating scroll. As soon as it touched his fingers, it rolled back in, emitting a faint white glow.


    [Relic identified: Scroll of the Windwalker]


    [The Scroll of the Windwalker is a divine relic that allows the Dreamwalker to instantly teleport to the nearest Eternal Fountain. This relic can only be used once inside each nightmare.]


    "That''s gonnae in handy," Xander said as he shoved the scroll back inside his jacket.


    Just as he turned around to exit the shrine, two more portals appeared before him. The one on his right was a vibrant red while the one on his left was jet ck.


    Xander quickly pulled out his Chronica and this time both hands pointed at eleven. As he approached the ck portal his pocket watch began to vibrate. It was a clear indication that the cultist''s Last Memory was on the other side.


    Gripping his revolver tightly between his fingers, Xander stepped into the ck portal. It teleported him to a rocky wastnd swarming with Implings.

 Chapter 30: Whispers of madness

    <h4>Chapter 30: Whispers of madness</h4>


    Xander quickly took cover behind a burnt oak tree to avoid being spotted by the Implings scouring the area. Though his hands remained on the trigger of his revolver, he had no intention of engaging the Ethereals without learning more about the area.


    Deserts and wastnds were quitemon in the Nightscape, but what was disturbing about this rocky terrain was the presence of several wooden totems with monstrous faces engraved on their rungs.


    Thest time Xander had encountered totems was inside Esther''s nightmare, and things had taken a turn for the worse soon after. It was easy to guess that these wooden poles had been nted by someone to perform a summoning ritual.


    While the presence of Implings was nothing extraordinary inside a Death Nightmare, the appearance of a Goblin Berserker in Windbell Park raised several questions.


    Being highly territorial creatures, the Implings would never allow a Goblin toe anywhere close to their home. Any encounter between these two types of Ethereals always ended in feuds. The only way a Berserker would willingly cooperate with a horde of Implings was if it wasn''t part of a Goblin pack, but had been summoned from a fading nightmare.


    Everything suggested that someone had been using the totem poles for summoning Ethereals from other nightmares.


    While Xander was busy with his thoughts, a dull droning reached his ears. It was a quivering male voice that sounded almost intoxicated.


    "She sees us all. She is the mother and the daughter, the beginning and the end. We are her children. Her blood spilled on the face of a rotting world. But...but a mother never abandons her children. No, I know she will save us from suffering. Yes, she will. For she is our mother!"


    The frenzied whispering wasing from deeper within the wastnd, but from here Xander''s vision was blocked by the boulders scattered around. He peeped around the corner of the oak tree to get a closer look at the Implings, but what he saw left him dumbstruck.


    These weren''t the same kind of Implings he had encountered in Windbell Park. Each of them had two pairs of arms and twisted ck hornsing out of their foreheads. They didn''t have dull red skins like theirmon cousins, but their coats were ck and scaly.


    "I know...I know he ising. But he is weak and foolish. He doesn''t love the Goddess. We cannot allow him to insult our faith. Mother, I will smite him in your name!" the same frenzied voice cried out from the distance.


    Suddenly, the bleak gray sky turned a shade of deathly ck and the Implings started screeching like insects. The cacophony of frantic clicks and frenzied hissings soon became so unbearable that Xander had to cover his ears to block out the noise.


    The Elder Implings stood their ground while the lower-ranking scavengers started scurrying across the rocky trails on all fours.


    Out here in this cramped space, there was barely enough room for Xander to swing his scythe without hitting a rock. He knew if he tried to take the little runts head-on they would nk him from every directions and climb all over him.


    Fighting the Implings didn''t seem like a wise idea, so Xander waited for the first pair of scavengers to run past him and then swiftly changed positions, seeking cover behind arge gray boulder.


    Listening to the noises around him, Xander could make out when a group of Implings was nearby, and it helped him sneak past them without ever peeking from cover. With cautious steps, Xander traversed the rocky trails, weaving between the boulders and leafless tree stumps on his path.


    "Where is that one hiding? We must find him and put an end to his heresy!" the frenzied voice cried aloud.


    Avoiding the Impling running around him, Xander made his way through the maze of gravelly tracks and eventually reached an enormous crater in the middle of the wastnd. It was shaded by the rocky precipice of an overhanging cliff and littered with skulls.


    Right in the center of this barren crater was a man d in ck robes, holding a ck conch shell covered in thorns.


    "Where are you, Dreamwalker? Show yourself!" the man screamed at the top of his lungs as he looked around frantically, seeking a glimpse of the intruder. "Come on, Dreamwalker! I know you''vee to undo ourbor."


    Hiding behind a rotting stump, Xander peeked from his left. The man pacing the crater was dressed exactly like the cultists, but his eyes were missing. It looked like someone had carefully hollowed out his eyeballs, leaving behind two gaping holes squirming with maggots.


    Running down his scarred cheeks were streaks of bloody red which reached all the way to his upper lip and then disappeared inside his mouth. As he whispered his feeble curses, his teeth chattered, and the uneven lump in his throat bobbed up and down.


    In all his years, Xander had encountered many terrifying Ethereals, but he had nevere across a creature like this. Though at a nce, the robed figure looked human, the sharp spines protruding from his hunched back suggested otherwise.


    The grotesque abomination was both disgusting and terrifying at the same time. Armed with nothing but a conch shell and a shattered human skull, the man seemedpletely defenseless, but Xander had a hunch that he had some other trick up his dirty sleeves.


    If his previous experiences had taught him anything, it was that looks could be deceptive in the Nightscape, and behind every frail and helpless figure was a monstrous shadow waiting in the darkness.


    "The world shall be cleansed, Dreamwalker. You cannot stop the inevitable. It''s written in the stars," the robed hunchback screamed aloud before blowing on the conch shell.


    Almost immediately, the Implings responded by screeching in their shrill voices. The blowing of the conch shell was a signal for them to spread out and search the area more thoroughly.


    Xander quickly figured out that the robed man was controlling the Implings from the crater, and the totem poles were also his doing. Despite looking like a frail cripple, the hunchback was far from helpless.


    As Xander looked on, he observed the blind hunchback raise the shattered skull above his head and summon an Elder Impling.


    "You must protect me. I know the Dreamwalker is nearby. Do not let him get close," hemanded, pointing the skull at the little shriveled ivy bush beside the Impling.


    It was clear that he was as blind as a bat, and couldn''t even see what was right in front of him.


    Taking on the Implings was going to be a waste of time, so Xander focused his attention on the hunchback. While the blind man was looking in the other direction, the Dreamwalker quickly switched positions and moved in behind the egg-shaped rock at the edge of the crater.


    From here, Xander had a clear shot at the blind summoner. All he had to do was put a bullet between his eyes before he could blow that conch shell again. Aiming his revolver, Xander was about to pull the trigger when his Chronica chimed thrice, and his system panel disyed a new objective.


    [Last Memory located.]


    [Appease it to end the nightmare.]


    "That can''t be good," Xander mumbled, pulling his revolver back. As he carefully observed the blind summoner''s attire, he realized that it was the same cultist who had hung himself from the tree in Windbell Park.


    It finally dawned on Xander that the summoner in front of him wasn''t another Ethereal, but the cultist''s Last Memory. Thisplicated his situation even further since no weapon in existence was capable of destroying a Last Memory.


    Dealing with agitated Last Memories was one thing, but fighting one that was distorted into a terrifying abomination presented a daunting challenge. Normally, even the most hostile of Last Memories could be reasoned with, but for that, the Dreamwalker needed to get close to it.


    To test how good the hunchback''s senses were, Xander picked up a cherry-sized pebble from the ground and chucked it to his left. The blind guy instantly turned in the direction of the noise as the pebble ttered against the gravelly ground.


    "Who was it? A shadow? No...no, it must be that serpent!" the hunchback eximed, swallowing short, erratic breaths. "Find the heretic, "hemanded the Elder Impling.


    Xander waited patiently for the Impling to move away from the Last Memory. Once the Ethereal was at a safe enough distance, Xander quietly descended into the crater. He was about to rush the hunchback when the gravelly ground caught his attention.


    Taking another reckless step would alert the blind cultist, and all it would take for him to call the Implings to his aid was a single blow into the conch shell.


    Without moving an inch from his spot, Xander pulled his lifted leg back and carefully measured his options. While it was true that he couldn''t kill the Last Memory, he could always subdue it.


    Putting his revolver away, Xander pulled out the Dagger of Diminishing from his jacket. Having never used the weapon before, he had little idea about its true capabilities but pressed into a pickle, he had no choice but to give it a shot.


    As soon as the hunchback turned around and looked in Xander''s direction, Xander threw the dagger and hit the cultist straight in his chest. He tried to scream, but not even a whisper came out of his mouth. The dagger''s power crippled him, forcing him to drop to his knees.


    Seeing his window of opportunity, Xander rushed out of cover and approached the cultist.


    "It''s over. I''ve found you now. Time to end this nightmare," Xander said, grabbing the hunchback by his left hand and lifting him up.


    As Xander looked into the hunchback''s eyes, the Implings stopped moving and a circle of bright white light surrounded the crater.


    "I am not here to hurt you," Xander whispered reassuringly, and pulled out the dagger from the cultist''s chest. "You need to stop this madness."


    The Last Memory started morphing, and its hunched back straightened. Its missing eyes regenerated and it stood up straight, dressed in in white clothes, radiating a dim white light.


    "You cannot stop us, Dreamwalker. Shamura will rise again, and bring order to our chaotic world," the Last Memory whispered in a much calmer voice.


    Xander released him from his grip and looked him in the eye. "You sacrificed yourself for a dark deity without even knowing her intentions. She isn''t going to save you. All she wants is power. Shamura will plunge our world into chaos."


    The Last Memory shook his head. "Only a heretic would doubt the Goddess. She is our mother. She will remove all pain and suffering from our world and exalt us to our immortal forms."


    Xander scoffed at this. "Is that what your prophets told you? I hate to burst your bubble, but Shamura feeds on suffering. She wants to drag the real world beyond the veil and im it as her domain. She doesn''t care about human lives."


    "No, you''re lying!" the Last Memory protested turning away.


    "I''ve seen everything. I''ve been inside the vision of your revered prophet," Xander replied.


    "What did you see?" the Last Memory asked, turning around sharply.


    "Endless suffering," Xander answered. "Shamura''s army will trample everything in its path and destroy our world."


    "You lie, Dreamwalker." The cultist''s voice trembled this time as if he doubted his own beliefs.


    "You know I''m not lying. I can''t lie to a Last Memory. No Dreamwalker can."


    Xander''s words drained the color from the cultist''s face, bringing him to tears. "They said Shamura would cure all disease and help us break free from our mortal shells. Moreas told me that I would be blessed with eternal life in the world beyond. He said I would be happy atst."


    "Your Death Nightmare seems to suggest otherwise. Look around you. Your Last Memory is trapped inside a barren wastnd. And beyond this lies an endless desert. Does this look like paradise to you? You were always a puppet in their hands."


    "The Goddess will have mercy and¡ª"


    "She is no benevolent Goddess, she is a self-seeking power who delights in suffering," Xander stepped closer to the Last Memory and whispered in his ear, "Those Implings you summoned, crossed over to our world and ughtered dozens of innocent people. They didn''t even spare the kids."


    As realization dawned on the cultist, he stumbled backward. Overwhelmed by guilt, he balled his fists and bit down hard on his lower lip. "I never wanted to hurt children. Moreas said the Implings and...the Goblin were just a distraction."


    "A distraction for what?" Xander questioned.


    "A distraction to help him and hispanions to flee the city," the Last memory whispered back. "What have I done, Dreamwalker?" he asked, holding back his tears.


    Xander grabbed the cultist''s right hand and spoke as calmly as possible. "You can''t undo your mistakes. But there''s still time to stop Moreas before it''s toote. Where can I find him?"


    The Last Memory shook his head. "He didn''t tell me. All I know is that he is gathering the tainted relics. He needs three of them to summon Shamura''s first general."


    "Where are the relics located?"


    The Last Memory shook his head again. "I don''t know, Dreamwalker. I don''t know."


    Xander understood that this particr cultist was one of the new initiates and had limited information about the cult''s greater ns. His job here was nearly done, and all that remained was closing the portal.


    "Will I ever find forgiveness?" the cultist asked reluctantly, his voice choked with tears.


    "I don''t know about that. But I''ll help you find peace." With that Xander pulled the Last Memory close and uttered the final incantation. "Free me from this nightmare as I free this Last Memory from death. The river guides us all. The river guides us all. The river guides us all."


    Everything around them turned hazy as the Last Memory faded into the light.


    A glowing white portal opened under Xander''s feet, and as he opened his eyes on the other side, he was back in Windbell Park.


    The first rays of the morning sun were filtering through the fleecy clouds and the red portal behind the birdwatching tower had disappeared, leaving behind just a patch of ckened grass.

 Chapter 31: Homeward bound

    <h4>Chapter 31: Homeward bound</h4>


    Once Xander was back in the real world, his system shed open before his eyes, disying thepletion notification he had been eagerly waiting for.


    [Death Nightmare ended.]


    [Nightmare Portal closed.]


    [Primary objectivepleted: Appease the Last Memory.]


    [1000 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 200/3000.]


    [Level Up!]


    [Current Level: 5.]


    [One Skill Point Acquired.]


    [500*2 Nightmare Coins Acquired.]


    [Blessings of Mordred withdrawn.]


    [Rank enhancement avable.]


    [Head to the Shrine of Mordred to gain a new rank.]


    "Finally," Xander sighed, opening his skill tree. Adding the extra skill point to the Mystic Armory skill, he confirmed his selection.


    [Skill upgraded!]


    [Mystic Armory (Level 2): The Dreamwalker can store up to four Mystical Weapons in his armor.]


    With that, Xander sessfullypleted upgrading all the basic skills avable to him. To unlock the next tier of skills, he needed to enhance his rank.


    At one time, starting from square one had seemed like the most frustrating thing in the world, but he had leveled up rather quickly due to the recent Ethereal encounters.


    All that remained now was acquiring more cards and a wider selection of weapons to help in his future exploits.


    As Xander stepped out of the shadows, the first rays of the morning sun swept away the daunting darkness, ushering in a hopeful dawn.


    With the Nightmare Portal closed, the birds flew back to their treetop homes, and the park was once more abuzz with the chittering of insects and hooting of distant owls.


    Apanied by Detective Locksley, Chief Volgin approached the Dreamwalker to try and make sense of all that happened.


    "You can ask your men to withdraw from the park. I''ve closed the portal. The Ethereals won''t be back anytime soon," Xander reassured them.


    The Chief of Police had witnessed many a bizarre phenomenon during his long career, but nothing came close to this. There were several questions in his mind, but for now, he stuck to the most important ones.


    "What did you see on the other side?" he asked.


    "Nothing good," Xander replied. "We were lucky that only a Goblin and a bunch of Implings managed to cross over. Things would''ve ended a lot differently if the Barghests had found a way out."


    "Barghests? You mean the spectral ck dogs from folklore?"


    "I wish it was just an old tale, but those things are pretty real in the veiled world." Xander zipped his jacket back up as the cold air nipped at him. "My job''s done here. I believe you owe me something."


    "What?" the Chief asked curiously.


    Xander extended his right hand and added, "My payment. Fifteen thousand for clearing the park, and another fifteen for closing that portal."


    Before the Chief could utter a reply, Detective Locksley cut in sharply. "You just did the city a great service by taking out those monsters. And now you want payment for this?"


    "Of course I do," Xander replied without any hesitation.


    "Tell me one good reason why I should humor your request instead of just throwing you in some damp old cell," Chief Volgin spoke in a much sterner voice, hoping to intimidate the Dreamwalker.


    However, it had little effect on Xander. He sneered at the Chief, showing hisplete disregard for his authority. "You''re a cop. You''re free to arrest me, Chief. But who''s gonna solve your Ethereal problem once you''ve put me behind bars?"


    "There are other Dreamwalkers like you. I hate to break it to you, but you aren''t special."


    "Call them. See if they have time for you. Most of the Dreamwalkers have left the city by now," Xander replied, demonstrating the same clinicalposure he had exhibited back at Esther''s apartment. "Like it or not, Chief, but I am your best bet. Thirty thousand vireks," he repeated..


    Although Chief Volgin couldn''t stand Xander''s inted ego, his choices were limited in these troubled times. He knew his men would never have stood a chance against those things if Xander hadn''t shown up when he did.


    After a long spell of silence, Xander spoke again. "I''m not trying to con you. All I''m asking for is fair payment for my services. A meagre sum of thirty thousand vireks shouldn''t be such a problem for you."


    "It''s not about the money. It''s just disturbing to see someone put a price on saving lives." The Chief corked an eye at him, questioning his motives and principles.


    "I don''t care what you think of me," Xander replied curtly.


    "You could''ve be a hero for the citizens, but you choose to belittle your own efforts by asking for payment. The city would have¡ª"


    "I don''t want to be a hero," Xander cut in sharply. "I''ll leave that to you and your men. If you want my help, you will have to pay me. It''s as simple as that."


    "Your fees are quite steep. I don''t have that much money on me right now," the Chief muttered in annoyance.


    "That''s fine. I ept cheques as well."


    Chief Volgin frowned at him. He had met many Dreamwalkers over the years, but there was something different about Xander. It was almost as if he didn''t care about anything else as long as he was getting paid.


    After a long spell of silence, he finally relented. "I''ll have the cash sent to your apartment by afternoon."


    "Appreciate it," Xander replied curtly, with little intention of prolonging the conversation. But just as he turned to leave, the Chief called him back.


    "There are still other portals in Merantis that need to be closed."


    Xander stopped but didn''t turn around. "If it''s not in Faros, it''s not my headache. Call me when you find any leads on the cultists. I''ll take them down for free."


    ***


    Hailing a cab, Xander returned to his apartment, but not before making a couple of stops on the way.


    On his third knock, Leena opened the door. Her drowsy eyes and messy hair suggested that she hadn''t slept all night. Nheless, she weed him with her usual warm smile and helped him to a cold ss of water.


    "How did it go?" she asked after Xander had taken off his jacket and sprawled himself on the couch.


    Pulling off his shoes and socks, Xander stretched his legs and then went on to take off his shirt. "I closed the portal. The park''s safe for now," he replied cracking his stiffening neck.


    "What the hell is that?" Leena was shocked to see the ck patch of skin on Xander''s back. She could smell the rot even though she was sitting on the other chair.


    "I let one of the Implings get too close," Xander answered, popping a painkiller into his mouth. "Unfortunately, my amulet can''t heal rot."


    "Guess you''re in luck today," Leena huffed, rolling her eyes. She moved in to take her seat right next to Xander and pulled out a shiny star-shaped pendant from inside her tee. "Stay still. This should take a minute."


    Holding the pendant in her left hand, she ced her right palm on Xander''s back. Her fingers lingered over the rotten spot and her lips moved in rhythm as she uttered an ancient incantation.


    Leena''s fingers lit up with a faint green glow as the pendant started vibrating within her palm. A numbing coldness spread across Xander''s back, and the pain gently eased. The rotten patch of his skin gradually returned to its natural color, and the scar underneath faded into a faint scratch.


    "What would I do without you, Leena?" Xander chirped, breathing a sigh of relief.


    "You need to be more careful next time," Leena replied. Rubbing her palm gently over his back one final time, she put the pendant back inside her clothing. "It''s done. You should be all good now."


    Xander put his shirt back on and thanked Leena. She was the only person he knew he could count on almost blindly. Even though Xander''s life was aplete mess, their friendship had withstood the test of time.


    Xander had learned at an early age that the world was a dangerous ce, and those who tried to act selflessly always ended up paying a hefty price. And after losing his sister, he''d shut everyone out of his life. Everyone, except little Tiva and his only friend in the world, Leena.


    "You mind telling me what happened out there?" Leena asked, interrupting Xander''s thoughts.


    Xander took a deep breath, and washed the painkiller down with a generous gulping of water. He then went on to narrate everything starting from his visit to the Shrine of Mordred, to his encounter with the cultist''s distorted Last Memory.


    "They''re going after the Veine-era artifacts," Leena said after hearing everything.


    "The what?" Xander asked with a puzzled look on his face.


    "There are three artifacts from the age of Emperor Veine. The Ordinaires often refer to them as the Tainted Relics."


    Xander was surprised by her knowledge. Though he had read about Emperor Veine in the history books, he had no idea about the tainted relics. That piece of information was reserved for the schrs and bookworms.


    "Do you know where they''re located?" he asked.


    Leena shook her head. "I don''t. But our Guild library has a map that can be used to track them."


    "That''s convenient. Looks like we need to pay our guild a visit." Xander checked the time on his watch and added, "We''ll head to the Guild House in the evening. I need you toe with me."


    Leena readily agreed to join him but on one condition. He had to promise they wouldn''t try to break into the Guild Master''s room and would only take the map and nothing else.

 Chapter 32: Just like a family

    <h4>Chapter 32: Just like a family</h4>


    All the Dreamwalkers in Faros had at one point or the other, been a part of the infamous Dreamwalkers'' Guild. Their Guild House was one of the grandest and most peculiar buildings in the city and stood right in the middle of Kris Square.


    Leena and Xander had spent over five years with the guild, learning valuable lessons about their craft and honing their abilities. It was here that they had first got acquainted with each other and soon grown to be close friends.


    Xander, however had cut ties with everyone else after leaving the guild. For several reasons, both personal and professional, he hadn''t gone back to the ce in over two years.


    The mere thought of returning to the Guild House brought back many disturbing memories. He had promised he''d never walk in through those doors again, but here he was preparing to break his vow without a second thought.


    Things, however, were entirely different for Leena. Even after leaving the guild, she had been in touch with her former training partners as well as the old Guild Master. She had also tried to convince Xander to forget his past troubles and smooth things over with their guild mates, but he remained as adamant as always.


    While Xander was reminiscing about his past, Leena got busy making calls from thendline. After a few redials, she turned to Xander with a worried look on her face.


    "I tried calling ine and Livia. They aren''t picking up."


    "I told you they''ve left Faros," Xander replied casually.


    "But why?" Leena asked with concern written all over her freckled face.


    "I''m pretty sure the appearance of Ethereals in Windbell Park had something to do with it," Xander snickered sarcastically. It was clear from his words that he didn''t think too highly about his former associates.


    Leena however, knew that her old friends could be a lot of things, but they weren''t cowards. She had a hunch that they were also trying to find a way to stop the cultists.


    "Master Arwin would never abandon the guild. It''s the only home he''s ever known. I don''t have a good feeling about this," Leena said.


    "Good morning. You''re back early," a drowsy voice squeaked from the other side.


    Xander and Leena turned around to see little Tiva standing outside her bedroom, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She was still holding the fluffy stuffed bunny, and her hair was aplete mess.


    "Good morning, youngdy. You look like you''ve slept through a storm," Xander said jokingly.


    Tiva covered her face with the back of her left palm to hide a yawn as she stumbled forward. She was still sleepy, but that didn''t stop her from giving Xander a nasty side-eye.


    "You told me you''d spend the rest of the day with me. But you snuck out again when I was in my room!" she said with a frown on her face.


    "Well, you had Leena to keep youpany. I thought you liked her," Xander replied, smiling disarmingly.


    Tiva however, wasn''t falling for his old tricks. "I do like her. She''s not a liar like you!"


    "Okay, I think we all need to rx a bit." Leena intervened. "Your uncle didn''t mean to lie to you, Tiva. He''s just had a really busy day."


    "I don''t care. He left me without telling!" Tiva huffed in annoyance, staring daggers at Xander.


    This wasn''t the first time the little one was throwing a temper tantrum. And Xander knew exactly how to handle these situations.


    Getting on his knees he held his ears like a guilty child. "I promise it won''t happen again. Please forgive me this time."


    "I know you will leave again!" Tiva huffed grumpily. "I will never forgive you."


    Xander put his right hand inside his jacket and took out a bar of white chocte wrapped in a shimmering gray foil. Showing it to Tiva, he asked, "How about now?"


    The frown on Tiva''s face quickly disappeared as her eyes twinkled at the sight of her favorite treat. Laying her stuffed bunny on the chair, she walked up to Xander with little steps and grabbed the chocte from his hand.


    "Okay, but this is thest time," she said, trying her best to fake anger.


    Xander smiled at her attempt and picked her up, lifting her off the floor. With a gentle turn, he plopped her down on the couch. "You know you look like a grumpy old witch when you frown."


    "And you look like a big fat troll!" she huffed, gathering her arms together.


    Both Xander and Leena had a goodugh at this little banter. Despite her age, Tiva had already picked up the snarky attitude from her uncle. Though she looked little, she was always ready with a cheekyeback.


    The day passed onzy legs as Xander and Leena napped all morning. Feeling refreshed from the much-needed rest, Xander woke up in the afternoon with a clear head. He was about to order food from the nearest caf¨¦ when Leena called him from the living room.


    "Lunch is ready. I made some stew and toast. You better freshen up soon, or it''s gonna get cold."


    Taking a quick shower and brushing his teeth with the icy cold water, Xander stepped out of his room to find the ss table decked with delicacies.


    "How did you even manage to make all these? I don''t even remember having so many items in my fridge," Xander mumbled in surprise.


    Leena wiped her hands on the white apron around her waist and replied, "I went to Gideon''s while you were sleeping. They were having a sale today."


    "So, everything''s fine out there? No more...disturbances?" Xander asked in a roundabout way to keep the matter a secret from Tiva.


    Leena nodded and replied, "Yep, no more disturbances. Nothing bad on the news either. Apparently, those...ahem...troublemakers don''t enjoy the sun. It''s bad for their skin."


    "How bad are we talking about?" Xander asked curiously.


    "Bad enough to give them third-degree burns. Looks like we only have to worry about the dark hours."


    "That''s a relief," Xander sighed, taking his seat beside Tiva.


    Leena too, joined them at the table without further ado and started handing out the tes.


    Tiva looked at them in confusion and shook her head. "I can never understand what you grown-ups talk about. You''re both so weird."


    Xander chuckled at this. "You should keep your ears to yourself when your elders are talking," he added with a note of mock seriousness.


    Tiva however, was far too smart to fall for that. She stuck out her tongue yfully and mimicked his words.


    Both Leena and Xander wanted to watch the afternoon news to see how the rest of the country was faring against the Ethereals, but since Tiva was awake now, they decided against it.


    Instead of discussing the dire affairs, Xander and Leena focused on the food.


    It was quite easily the best crab stew Xander had ever had, and the garlic toastplimented it perfectly. The cherry on the top, however, was the chocte marshmallow pudding.


    Xander and Tiva devoured everything greedily, making Leena blush at the sight.


    "Whoa, slow down. There''s more in the kitchen," Leena giggled.


    "I haven''t had a proper home-cooked meal like this in ages. You are an incredible cook," Xander said, smacking his lips.


    "Yeah, we mostly have pizzas and noodles for lunch. But I think I like this better," Tiva added with a smile.


    "I''m d you guys liked it," Leena said, rising from her seat and pouring them each a generous ss of lemon sherbet.


    This was the happiest Tiva had been in many days. Xander couldn''t have asked for a better lunch. The little girl licked her te clean and drank the whole bubbly beverage in one go.


    "That was delicious!" she eximed jumping from her chair. "I really want you to stay with us, forever. This is the best food I''ve ever had!" she trilled in excitement.


    "Hey, you know I can cook as well," Xander sniped.


    Tiva rolled her eyes at him and said, "Bleh, you only know how to make boring cup noodles and burnt pancakes."


    Leena burst outughing at this, and Xander turned his reddening face away. "Alright, you don''t need to make fun of me in front of our guests. That''s just super rude."


    Their little banter was eventually interrupted by a gentle rapping on the door. Xander looked through the eyehole first before opening the door partially.


    It was a junior constable on the other side. He handed Xander a white envelope and said, "This is from Chief Volgin. Thirty thousand vireks."


    "Appreciate it." Xander was about to close the door when the cop stopped him.


    "He told me to give you a message."


    Xander looked at him with knitted eyebrows and said, "Go on."


    "The Department of Mystical Affairs is keeping tabs on you. Ms. Eileen has already put you on her cklist. You should try to keep a low profile for now."


    Xander wasn''t surprised by the news in the least. He knew that nosy woman wouldn''t let go of him so easily. However, he wasn''t ready to step away from this without getting his hands on Moreas.


    "Thanks for the warning. I''ll keep that in mind," Xander replied curtly and shut the door.

 Chapter 33: The Dreamwalkers’ Guild

    <h4>Chapter 33: The Dreamwalkers¡¯ Guild</h4>


    The recent warning from the cop added another new problem to the already growing list of troubles for Xander and Leena.


    During the night, they had to stay wary of Ethereal attacks, and during the day, they had to keep their eyes open for both the cultists as well as the Red Jackets from the Department of Mystical Affairs.


    Keeping the Chief of Police on his side seemed like a good idea at this point, but Xander had learned not to trust cops and politicians.


    The only man in uniform he could count on was Detective Locksley, but Xander had to be careful about divulging too many details to him or he could find himself in the interrogation room soon.


    After speaking to Leena in private, Xander approached Tiva.


    "I want you to listen to me very carefully," he said, getting down on his knees.


    Tiva could tell by the serious expression on Xander''s face that he was stressed about something. Though she was just a child, staying with Xander had taught her plenty about the world. Looking up at her uncle, she nodded silently.


    "Alright," Xander began, "Leena and I are gonna be out for a while. We are...going to visit a group of old friends. While we are gone, I need you to keep all the doors and windows locked. If you hear anything weird or if a strangeres knocking, go to the bathroom and lock yourself in. But before you do that, make sure you grab the phone from the table."


    Tiva nodded again, her eyes gleaming with worry.


    "Good. In case of an emergency, call Detective Locksley. And if he doesn''t pick up, send me a text on my pager. But no matter what happens, don''t open the door for anyone except me or Leena."


    All this was too much for little Tiva to take in. She looked into Xander''s eyes and asked, "Are there bad people near our house?"


    "Yes, very bad people. And..." Xander hesitated for a moment and looked at Leena. She shook her head, cautioning him about saying too much.


    "Tiva, we''re gonna be back soon. Just don''t open the door for strangers," Leena intervened, handing a bracelet of green beads to her. "Wear this on your arm. It''ll look good on you."


    Tiva smiled and slipped the bracelet down her wrist. "It''s so pretty. I love it!" she eximed with delight, fascinated by shiny beads.


    "You''re wee, dear. Don''t eat too many choctes while we''re gone," Leena replied, kissing her on the forehead.


    Leaving Tiva all alone in the apartment was thest thing Xander wanted to do, but visiting the Guild House was crucial. That map Leena had mentioned was the only thing that could help them track down the cultists.


    As Xander and Leena headed down the stairs, Xander couldn''t help but ask about that bracelet she''d given Tiva.


    "It''s a holy relic empowered by Larosh''s blessings. Most Ethereals avoid blessed objects like the gue," Leena exined.


    Xander stopped at the foot of the staircase and turned around to look at Leena. "Do you think more portals will appear in Faros?"


    "I''m not sure," Leena replied looking away. "But we can''t take any chances with these cultists. It''s better to stay safe."


    "Where did you find that bracelet?" Xander asked.


    "It was my mom''s before. She gave it to me when I left the house. It''s helped me avoid quite a few nasty Ethereals in the Dreamscape."


    "Don''t you need it anymore?"


    "Tiva needs it more. I can manage without it," Leena answered without a hint of hesitation. Though she wasn''t rted to Tiva, the little girl had carved a special ce in her heart. Even in the past, she had made it amply clear that she was more than willing to risk her own neck for Tiva''s sake.


    ***


    Despite it being a working day in Faros, most of the streets were deserted, and half the shops and restaurants had their shutters down. The cops had set up checkpoints at every major intersection and stepped up their patrols.


    After waiting for over half an hour for a cab to show up, Xander and Leena eventually gave up and took the tram to Kris Square.


    The Guild House stood at the other end of the square, bordered by rows of trimmed hedges and guarded by two stone statues, one holding a crescent moon in its left hand and the other holding the sun in its right.


    These sculptures had been installed right after the construction of the building fifty years ago and depicted the Eternal Twins in their physical form. The man holding the moon was Nightmare, and the woman with the sun in her hand was Dream.


    The passage of time had turned these sculptures from gleaming white to a cloudy shade of gray, and they had developed numerous tiny cracks as well, but the regr cleaning had prevented the build-up of any cobwebs.


    "I never thought I''d walk past this gate again," Xander sighed as he approached the Guild House with Leena by his side.


    Thest time Xander had been inside this building, it was the middle of summer. Many springs and winters had passed since then, but he had never gone close to the Guild House even if his work brought him to Kris.


    The Dreamwalkers stopped in front of the main gate to gaze at the elegant brickwork. Its symmetrical frontage was sprawled with nine bays facing the Old Temple of Larosh, and sported three arched windows and a central doorway supported by ck psters that stood tall against the backdrop of the building''s russet brown walls.


    Out of all the Guild Houses in Faros, the Dreamwalkers'' Guild was thergest, making it the ire of the other Mystics. However, things weren''t really as pretty as they seemed from the outside.


    Over the course of thest two years, the Dreamwalkers had split into several factions, each with their own agenda, and the once great Guild was now tottering on itsst legs.


    Brushing his memories aside, Xander marched up the granite steps and knocked on the door. When no reply came from the other side, he yelled Master Arwin''s name, hoping against hope that someone would eventually answer.


    A minute passed in anticipation, yet no voice was heard from the other side. Xander tried to push the door open, but it was locked.


    "It''s just like Riktor said. They''ve all left," Xander muttered and backed away. "We have to find another entrance."


    Leena looked at him in confusion. "But the Guild House only has one door. There are no rear entrances."


    "I know. But there are windows," Xander replied. "We''ll go around the back. Come on."


    Leena followed unquestioningly as Xander walked around the building and made his way to the stained ss window at the back of the Guild House.


    "It''s locked as well. Maybe we¡ª


    Before Leena could finish her thought, Xander picked up a flower pot from the porch and hurled it at the window, smashing its ss pane. It created an opening just big enough for Xander to slip his hand through and lift thetch securing the window frames.


    Flinging the broken window panes open, Xander climbed into the Guild House and extended his hand to Leena. "Watch out for the ss. Step on the sill."


    "I can''t do this. We''re not supposed to be breaking into the Guild House like this," she protested.


    Xander shook his head in reply. "You can''t always y by the rules, Leena. We need that map to find the cultists. Come on, it''s gonna be dark soon."


    Though Leena felt terrible about breaking into her Guild House, she gave Xander her hand and climbed inside. In all her life she''d never imagined she''d have to sneak into her second home like somemon burr, but these changed circumstances left her with no other choice.


    Once inside the building, the two Dreamwalkers closed the window behind them and switched on their shlights. Whaty ahead was a long dark hallway lined with tall flowerpots and statues of the three founding members.


    It was here that Xander had spent the five best years of his life. It was here that he''d met Leena and learned the secrets of his craft. And it was here that he''d argued with his mentors and cut all ties with his closest friends.

 Chapter 34: A map to nowhere

    <h4>Chapter 34: A map to nowhere</h4>


    As Xander walked down the dark corridor, his sister''s words rang inside his ears. "You can walk away from your past as many times as you want, but you can never outrun it. No one can."


    It was as if fate was pulling the strings from above, and Xander was following like an obedient puppet. He had promised he would never set foot inside the Guild House again, yet here he was, sneaking through its ancient halls like a shadow.


    The dark corridor led to a reception area with a wooden staircase behind it. Xander paused for a moment to take a look at the reception counter to see if Master Arwin or the others had left any clues indicating their whereabouts. But all he found were torn envelopes and scratched-out grocery lists.


    "Looks like they left in a hurry," Xander concluded, starting at the papers on the desk. "I wouldn''t be surprised if they are outside Merantis by now."


    "Master Arwin would never abandon his city," Leena protested.


    "You''re really too na?ve, Leena," Xander huffed. "The guild never cared about the city or its people. If it did, then it wouldn''t keep thinking about its selfish interests all the time."


    The guild which had once been like a family to Xander, now had no ce in his heart. Everything had fallen apart a couple of years ago when Master Arwin and the other Elders refused to help Xander track down Nelly''s killers.


    Forgetting all his pride, Xander had pleaded and begged in front of the Guild Master, but Master Arwin had remained adamant in his refusal. Not only did he refuse to help Xander with his investigations, but forbade everyone else to talk about the matter again.


    "Your sister was involved with the Dark Deity. There''s nothing we can do about it. If you want to live, you should walk away from this, Xander. Shamura isn''t some angry Ethereal. She is the Devourer of Realms, an unimaginable darkness that consumes everything it touches. I am sorry for your loss, but if you know what''s good for you, then you should move on."


    Those were thest words of Master Arwin. Xander hadn''t waited to hear the rest of his lofty counsel but stormed out of the Guild House, tossing his books away.


    Though over two years had passed since that day, Xander hadn''t forgiven them.


    Rage and frustration swept through Xander''s heart as he clenched his fist and made his way up the stairs. The wooden steps creaked under their feet as the Dreamwalkers climbed to the upper floor.


    Another sweeping corridor nked by nearly identical wooden doors led to the main library, stacked with rows of dusty wooden bookshelves and two ss cupboards.


    Everyone in the guild had ess to the library since Master Arwin believed that knowledge should never be withheld from the worthy. However, there were a few ancient scrolls and manuscripts that even the Elders were forbidden from touching without his permission.


    The map that Leena had mentioned also belonged to this category of forbidden articles. However, now that the Guild Master was gone, there was no one to stop the Dreamwalkers from taking what they needed.


    A musty smell pervaded the air. The windows on this floor had been shut for so long that it made the air heavy with moisture.


    Xander marched up to the library, trampling the speckled white carpet with his dirty boots, and threw open the window on his right, allowing the dimming rays of the evening sun to illuminate the room.


    In the faint light, Xander noticed there were gaps in the left shelf, suggesting that someone had taken out a few books. Fortunately, the locked ss cupboard hadn''t been tampered with.


    "Do you think it was Riktor?" Leena asked, staring at the shelf with the missing books.


    "I can''t imagine Riktor and books in the same room. Hell, I don''t even think he could read properly," Xander replied.


    "It''s not nice to talk like that about...the deceased," Lena said with a note of disapproval in her voice. Even though she wasn''t close to the dead Dreamwalker, her kind heart stillmented his loss. After all, he was one of them.


    "He died because he was stubborn and stupid. That''s a terriblebination," Xander sniped without even turning to look at her.


    It was hard to tell whether Xander genuinely didn''t feel any pangs of conscience stirring in his heart or if he was just putting on an act of indifference to deal with his inner guilt.


    Any other person would have taken Xander to be an unfeeling rogue, but after having known him for over five years, Leena knew that he was just afraid to express his real emotions. His sister''s death had changed himpletely, and that was the reason for his cold behavior and totalck of empathy.


    Before Leena could stop him, Xander shot the lock on the cupboard and threw open its ss panels.


    "I don''t see any maps here," he said, rifling through the books.


    Leena couldn''t bear to see the books being mistreated like that and immediately stepped to their rescue. "Wait! You don''t need to mess up the whole library. We''re not burrs."


    Seeing the displeased look on Leena''s face, Xander stepped back.


    Leena put all the books back onto the shelves before opening the bottom drawer with her hairpin. Inside ity a cylindrical ck parchment case. She gently pulled it out without disturbing the rest of the items inside.


    As Leena took off the case''s lid and inverted it, a rolled-up piece of brown parchment fell into her hand. It was frayed along the edges with numerous spots and blemishes on its underside.


    cing the old parchment on the table, Leena rolled it open to reveal an obsolete map of Somnium with numerous unrecognizable markings in an unknownnguage.


    "Looks like the map''s even older than Master Arwin," Xander scoffed, ncing at its discolored surface. He was starting to feel they had just wasted their time bying here.


    Leena however, didn''t look the slightest bit disappointed. She ttened the paper on the table and looked at it carefully under the glow of her shlight.


    "It is protected by a sealing incantation. We need to perform an unsealing ritual to reveal what''s under the surface," she exined, rolling the map and putting it back inside the case.


    "You seem to know a lot about these things," Xander said, staring at her curiously.


    Leena stood up and replied, "Perks of deciphering dreams I guess. This isn''t the first sealed object I''vee across."


    "That''s good to know. Let''s start unsealing it then."


    At this, Leena shook her head. "This is Master Arwin''s seal. It''s not gonna be easy to break it. I''m gonna need some items first. We should return to your house now."


    "You should visit your old room first," Xander replied.


    Leena looked at him in confusion. "I don''t think I have anything there. I took all my belongings when Ipleted my training."


    "You''re gonna need your cards," Xander said, pulling out one of his own cards from his set. "The border between the worlds has been blurred. We can use our cards and weapons in the real world now."


    "I...am not a fighter like you. I only interpret dreams and soothe troubled souls. I''ve never fought an Ethereal before," Leena spoke in a trembling voice. The mere thought of encountering one of those malevolent Ethereals made her blood run cold.


    "There''s always a first time," Xander replied, looking right into her eyes. "That portal in Windbell Park was just the beginning. I can''t fight them alone. I''m gonna need your help."


    Unlike Xander, Leena had always avoided both Death Dreams and Death Nightmares. However, now that the walls were crumbling, she realized she couldn''t avoid the inevitable any longer.


    After pondering for a while, Leena eventually apanied Xander to her old room. As she opened the door, she was surprised to see the statue of Amara on the left side of her bed and a gilded chest on its right.


    Leena slowly walked up to the statue and uttered the incantation to ess her deck. Ten Dream Cards floated up in front of her, and the room lit up with a faint white glow. She looked at Xander, a bit reluctantly.


    "Go for it," Xander nodded in approval.


    Leena carefully pulled out all cards from her deck and they were immediately added to her inventory, filling all the empty slots in her set.


    Next, she moved around the bed and opened the gilded chest to ess her armory. Unlike Xander, she had no need for any weapons since she never fought Ethereals. However, there were a few items she carried for self-defense.


    Leena pulled out two white y tablets from the chest and put them carefully inside her denim''s side pocket.


    Her system immediately disyed that two new items had been added to her inventory. She slowly turned around and looked at Xander.


    "I still can''t believe this. The veiled world has merged with ours. This wasn''t supposed to happen," she whispered. Swallowing an airy lump in her throat, she added, "Nothing''s gonna remain the same anymore. I can feel a connection to the Infinite Void."


    "You''re not alone. I can feel it as well," Xander replied.


    Leena nced at her wristwatch and said, "It''s gonna be dark soon. We should head back."


    Although Xander wanted to search the Guild House for more information, he decided not to push his luck. As the grand tower clock struck five and the evening bell resounded across the streets of Faros, Xander, and Leena stepped out of the building and headed for the nearest taxi stand.


    The sun was still visible on the horizon, but the daylight was fading fast. Xander expected to reach home before dark. However, things took an unnatural turn the very next minute.


    Suddenly, dark ck clouds covered the sky over Faros, and a cold gale swept through the streets. All the streetmps started flickering unsteadily, and the air filled with the stench of rotting chrysanthemums.

 Chapter 35: An unwilling hero

    <h4>Chapter 35: An unwilling hero</h4>


    Dusk blended seamlessly into a blinding darkness, ushering in an unnatural night. The sun dipped below the horizon earlier than usual, taking with it thest seconds of dying daylight.


    Leena stared at the dark clouds gathering overhead, and her instincts screamed at her that something was about to go very wrong. She could tell that whatever was happening wasn''t natural, and it wasn''t going to end well.


    The people who were still roaming the streets, gathered in the middle of Kris Square to gaze at the darkening sky. Little did they know that the clouds heralded a storm unlike any other they had seen before.


    "This is bad. We have to warn the people."


    Leena was about to approach the crowd of onlookers when a bolt of forked lightning struck the Frost Fig tree standing in the middle of the square, instantly setting it on fire.


    Fearful gasps escaped from their lips as the people looked up and saw two ashen gray circles forming in the sky.


    "What the hell is that?"


    "Is that one of those portal things?"


    "The one at Windbell Park was red. I saw it on the news."


    "This can''t be good. We shouldn''t be out here."


    Panicked whispers and uncertain mumblings filled the street as the crowd grew uneasy. Though a few daring souls wanted to observe the strange phenomenon, seeing the others flee made them lose heart and they soon followed suit.


    "Xander, we need to get out of here!" Leena cried aloud, tugging at Xander''s sleeve, but the Dreamwalker stood there like a statue.


    "It''s toote now," he dered, pointing at the sky. Hundreds of red-winged bats poured out of the portals, their loud screeches filling the nearly empty streets.


    "Necrobats!" Leena eximed in terror. Her face lost its color in seconds as the winged monstrosities flew over them and headed for the old Peraven Public Library where the people had taken shelter.


    There were hundreds of these Ethereals, each nearly twice the size ofmon vampire bats found in the woods outside the city. Their entire colony congregated over the library and kept hovering around its domed roof.


    The people thought they were safe inside the library with all the doors and windows shut tightly, but they were in for a dreadful surprise.


    Without warning, the Necrobats formed a ring around the building and started emitting unearthly cries that were too shrill to be heard by human ears.


    Within seconds, the ss window panes developed hairline cracks that spread across their surface like an infection, before eventually shattering them to pieces. The Necrobats flew in through the broken windows and swarmed the people huddling under the tables.


    Hearing the desperate cries for help, Leena rushed in the direction of the library, leaving Xander with no choice but to run after her.


    "Leena, wait!" Xander shouted behind her. "We need to get back to my apartment!"


    Breathless and trembling, Leena stopped outside the library''s front gate, resting her arm on the railings enclosing the steps. "We can''t just abandon them. The Necrobats will kill them if we don''t do something."


    "This isn''t our problem. They should have stayed inside their houses," Xander muttered in frustration.


    Leena turned to him with pleading eyes and asked, "How can you be so heartless? These people are innocent. How can you just stand there and let them die?"


    "Because I''m not a God damn hero!" Xander snapped back. "I''m not going to risk my neck for a bunch of ungrateful Ordinaires. Don''t try to guilt trip me into this."


    Before Xander could pull Leena back, she fished out a card from her set and held it up over her head. "y card: Blinding Glory!"


    As the card in Leena''s hand disintegrated, it released a wave of golden light that pushed back the shadows and enveloped the library in a radiant glow. The Necrobats swarming inside were blinded by the unexpected luminous assault, leaving them dazed mid-air.


    The card that Leena had just activated was a sacred Dream Card that called upon the purifying radiance of the Seven Saints to dispel all shadows. While it didn''t inflict any direct damage on the Ethereals, it was highly effective at crippling their sense of vision and leaving them dazed.


    This little trick bought the people hiding inside just enough time to get out of the main hall of the library and shut themselves inside the reading rooms.


    "You''re not safe there!" Leena shouted from outside, hoping to get their attention. "Get out of the library and hide inside a shrine. The Necrobats can''te onto hallowed ground."


    Despite her repeated attempts atmunicating with them, not a single voice responded from the other side. The people trapped inside the library were simply too scared to even utter a whisper.


    "They''ll all die if they stay here!" Leena eximed frantically.


    "You''ve done your part. This isn''t our problem any¡ª"


    Before Xander could finish his sentence, Leena hastily picked the lock on the front door and barged inside.


    "God damn it, Leena!" Xander cried out in frustration. He had no intention of helping the bunch of witless idiots hiding in the library, but he couldn''t leave Leena alone.


    Without a second thought, Xander rushed in after his partner. As soon as he entered the library''s main hall, he saw the Necrobats congregating near the ceiling.


    Unlike themon bats found in the real world, the Necrobats had excellent eyesight. However, this made their ears far less sensitive to sound, rendering their echolocation ability almostpletely useless.


    Since Leena had blinded them, all they could rely on was their sense of smell to locate the other members in their colony and re-group with them to deter potential attackers.


    "I thought you didn''t want to risk your neck for a bunch of ungrateful Ordinaires," Leena reiterated Xander''s words as she pulled out one of the y tablets from her pocket.


    "I''m not doing it for them," Xander scoffed and pulled out his revolver. "Get behind me!"


    Leena crushed the white tablet inside her palm and conjured a Dream Weapon. It was a silver staff almost as tall as her, with finger-like projections on its broad head which held a bright red ruby in their entangled grasp.


    As Xander stepped in front of her, she gently nted the staff''s pointy base into the ground and whispered, "Hear my prayer, O Sleeping Mother. Protect us from the horrors that lie beyond the veil. In Kiya''s name, Imand the light to shield us from harm."


    The rhythmic prayer-like utterance made the ruby glow like a burning piece of coal. A faint white aura spread out from the enchanted staff and formed a protective barrier around the Dreamwalkers.


    Xander rxed his right arm and aimed at the Necrobats, but refrained from firing. He waited for the flyers to swoop down and get in close before finally pulling the trigger.


    As the Necrobats flew toward the Dreamwalkers, Xander unloaded all six rounds in quick session, taking out therger bats in the group. The rest of them tried to dive at him and sink their fangs into his face but were repelled by the holy barrier conjured by Leena.


    Belonging to the same group of undead as Ghouls and Skeletal Warriors, the Necrobats had a strong aversion to all types of holy magic. Though they had superiority in numbers, as long as the holy barrier remained active, there was no way for them to get close.


    Xander took full advantage of this and fired another six shots as soon as his revolver was reloaded. Six more Necrobats turned to dust as the magic bullets pierced their bodies.


    The Necrobats however, weren''t as mindless as the Implings and Grievers. Instead of trying to rush straight at the Dreamwalkers again, they scattered and started flying erratically across the room to throw Xander off target.


    This new strategy worked like a charm, making Xander miss five out of his six shots. However, as thest bullet struck one of the Necrobats, the ck strands covering the Eyeless Watcher started squirming, and the revolver''s barrel became engulfed by a foggy darkness.


    Xander could feel the heating from his weapon. It didn''t burn his skin but warmed his palm like a cozy glove.


    "Leena, I can''t get a clear shot as long as the Necrobats keep flying all around us. I need you to help me out."


    "Alright," Leena mumbled feebly and pulled out another card from her inventory. It was the brightest among all the other cards in her set and bore the image of a glowing silver mirror. "y card: Deceiver''s Gaze."


    As soon as the card disappeared from Leena''s hand, a shadowy figure appeared in the middle of the room. It gradually morphed and took on a human form, likening its appearance to Leena.


    Seeing the Dreamwalker standing unprotected in the open, the Necrobats flocked to her, and the whole colony descended at once to sink their fangs into her flesh.


    It was toote by the time they realized it was nothing more than an illusion. Now that all the restless Ethereals were right in front of him, Xander had enough time to line up the perfect shot and fire a single bullet from his charged revolver.


    The enchanted bullet transformed into a twisted beam of violet light and pulverized everyst Necrobat in its path, silencing their cries forever.


    [Necrobat colony eliminated.]


    [500 exp gained!]


    [umted exp: 700/3000.]


    [Current Level: 5.]


    [1000 Nightmare Shards obtained!]


    With the Ethereals defeated, the darkness engulfing the library slowly dissipated, and momentster, the portals in the sky copsed, dispelling the unnatural clouds gathered over Faros.


    Xander holstered his weapon and breathed a sigh of relief. The first thing he did after putting his revolver away was to turn to Leena.


    "Well done, but the next time you decide to y the savior, I won''t hesitate to abandon you," he reprimanded her in a stern voice.


    Although Xander''s words sounded harsh, Leena knew in her heart that he would never turn his back on her in a crisis.


    "It''s safe toe out now. We''ve dealt with the Ethereals," Leena called out to the people hiding inside the reading rooms.


    After a few seconds of hesitation, the doors finally opened, and the people stepped outside. All of them were Ordinaires possessing no special Talent. They knew if these two strangers hadn''t shown up when they did, things would have ended much differently for them.


    "Who are you people?" A middle-aged woman asked.


    "We''re Dreamwalkers," Leena replied after some initial hesitation. "I''m Leena, and my friend here is Xander. He''s the same guy who defeated the Ethereals in Windbell Park."


    "I''ve heard about him on the news. But, I never thought I''d ever get to meet him in person," the woman replied, darting her eyes toward Xander. "Thank you for killing those things. I''ll never forget you."


    "Just go home and don''t wander outside after dark," Xander muttered, averting his gaze.


    "Aye, we will," an elderly male voice replied. "May Larosh protect you two. They always say Dreamwalkers don''t lift a finger without payment. But you two are different. Larosh knows that Faros needs more heroes like you."


    Without even bothering to look at the man, Xander quipped, "We just happened to be at the right ce at the right time. No need to put us on a pedestal for that. You may not be so lucky next time, so stop screwing around after dark."


    Xander''s rude behavior shocked the people and stunned them into silence. Leena wanted to tide things over, but Xander walked out of the library without giving her any chance to remonstrate.


    While most Mystics would have loved being glorified as a hero, Xander hated the tag. After his sister''s death, it had be his life''s central philosophy to avoid risking his neck for others when there was nothing to be gained.


    The world had always been harsh to Xander, and he had no intention of trying to y the savior and ending up with a dagger in his back. Though it wasn''t the noblest of philosophies, Xander knew it was the best one to follow to stay alive in this unfair and cruel world.

 Chapter 36: True Nightmares

    <h4>Chapter 36: True Nightmares</h4>


    Leena followed in Xander''s footsteps as he hurried out of the public library. The dying sun bleeding over the ochre horizon heralded the arrival of a cold wintry night. It was going to be dark in a few minutes, and there were no cabs in sight.


    As Xander and Leena crossed Loggins Street, a white SUV pulled up in front of them, blocking their path. Eileen Williams stepped out of the vehicle apanied by three of her field agents.


    "Well, well, look who it is. The infamous Xander Nyxon and his aplice," Eileen sneered, looking at the Dreamwalkers with condescending eyes. "Chief Volgin isn''t here to save you today. How very unfortunate."


    "What the hell are you talking about?" Xander quipped.


    "I told you that I will be keeping an eye on you. And the moment you try to stir trouble, I''ll sniff it out."


    "I don''t have time for your stupid riddles," Xander scoffed. "Get out of our way unless you have something else to say."


    Xander was about to force his way across the street when the field agents pointed their crossbows at him. They were all loaded with obsidian bolts and had runic engravings on their underside.


    "I''m not here to fool around, Dreamwalker. You and your female aplice areing with me. Resist, and I will have no choice but to use lethal force." Eileen''s voice sounded cold and emotionless, and her eyes didn''t have a drop of mercy in them.


    "But why are we being arrested? What have we done?" Leena eventually cried out from behind. Keeping her hands raised in the air, she looked from one face to another.


    Eileen shifted her gaze from Xander to his partner and took four steps forward to stand right in front of her. "I don''t think I know you. How did you end up with a man like Xander Nyxon?"


    "I''m Leena Hayden. I''m a Dreamwalker just like Xander."


    Hearing that response, Eileen frowned, and her voice turned bitter and condescending. "It all makes sense now. You Dreamwalkers are never up to any good. I swear I will track down every single one of you and put an end to this madness."


    "Your whole department is a God damn joke," Xander muttered under his breath.


    "What was that?" Eileen retorted sharply, narrowing her eyes on Xander.


    "I said the Department of Mystical Affairs is a freaking joke. You all are prejudiced douchebags who have nothing better to do than bother innocent Mystics because of your personal hatred."


    Eileen however, remainedpletely unfazed by the allegations. "You of all people shouldn''t dare to y the victim card. I know exactly what you and your friends are up to this time."


    "What the hell do you mean?"


    "I mean I know that you and your Dreamwalker pals have been opening portals and summoning monsters into our world. But I won''t let you get your way this time."


    "I think there''s been a mistake, ma''am," Leena intervened. "Xander was the one who killed the Ethereals in Windbell Park and closed the portal there."


    "And who''s to say that your friend wasn''t the one to open it?" Eileen snapped back. "We have heard enough about his tricks to trust him."


    "But he couldn''t have!" Leena protested. "He was with me the whole time. We were in his apartment. Chief Volgin can confirm it. He was the one who requested Xander to help with the park situation."


    Eileen was taken aback by Leena''s words. All the pieces seemed to be fitting perfectly till now, but this new piece of information changed everything. It was enough to give Xander the benefit of the doubt. However, she wasn''t one to let things slide that easily.


    "What about today''s incident?" she asked, eyeing Leena with considerable suspicion. "You two happened to be here even though I don''t see any cop cars around."


    "We were just..." Leena hesitated, reconsidering whether she should mention anything about their visit to the Guild House. Technically, even that would incriminate them since they''d broken into a locked building. But it still seemed better than being med for the Emergence.


    Before Eileen could put any more pressure on Leena to elicit a response, Xander stepped in. "It''s none of your God damn business what we''re doing here. If we weren''t here those people in the library would''ve been dead by now. If anything, you should show us some gratitude for doing your job for you."


    "What about those portals? Where did they disappear?" Eileen asked.


    "Those portals in the sky weren''t doorways to Death Nightmares. They were manifestations of a different kind."


    "And what kind would that be?"


    "They were temporary bridges connecting our world to the Nightscape. The one at Windbell Park was the manifestation of a Death Nightmare caused by a cultist''s willing sacrifice, but these two were created by True Nightmares."


    "What''s the difference?" Eileen asked, furrowing her brow.


    "A Death Nightmare is created when a person is murdered or experiences a violent death. They are the most dangerous of all nightmares and can only be quelled by freeing the deceased person''s Last Memory. A True Nightmare, on the other hand, is created when amon nightmarests for more than an hour and the sleeper is unable to wake up," Xander exined.


    "And what''s with these portals? How are they opening in our world?"


    "The walls between our worlds are crumbling. It has led to an Emergence. A merging of the real world with the one that lies beyond the veil. These portals will keep appearing all over Merantis unless we catch the real culprits."


    Listening to Xander''s exnation raised several new questions in Eileen''s mind. Previously she had been under the impression that only the Dreamwalkers could open portals connecting the two worlds. But now Xander made it amply clear that new portals could appear without any intervention from the Mystics.


    After a long spell of silence, Eileen spoke again. "So, what you''re saying is that these portals can open randomly even if no one is killed?"


    "Took you long enough to understand," Xander snickered. He wasn''t in the mood to offer more exnations, so Leena took it upon herself to give the necessary rifications.


    "There are many different kinds of nightmares. Death Nightmares ur when someone is murdered and True Nightmares are justmon nightmares thatst longer than an hour. While it would be difficult to open portals connecting our world to Death Nightmares, portals leading to True Nightmares can appear spontaneously."


    "But everything was fine till you two showed up. What are you hiding from me?" Eileen asked.


    Xander gave her a nasty side-eye and muttered angrily, "Everything was fine till now because there was still daylight left. Things are gonna change pretty fast now that the sun''s about to set. Get the people off the streets if you''re so concerned about their safety. It''s dangerous to go outside after dark."


    "So there''s nothing we can do to stop these...Ethereals from invading our world?" Eileen asked with zero expectations this time.


    "There might be a solution. But we''ll have to reach out to the masses for that," Leena responded.


    "Go on. I''m listening," Eileen said, gathering her arms on top of each other.


    "Well, the portals leading to the True Nightmares can only open if someone in the vicinity is having a nightmare. That''s what we need to stop."


    "You Dreamwalkers can actually stop people from having nightmares?" Eileen asked with visible confusion.


    Leena shook her head. "No, but we can prevent them from going to sleep at night. As long as they have their nightmares during the daylight hours, there will be no risk of portals appearing in the sky."


    Eileen took everything she heard with a grain of salt. She wasn''t quite sure about trusting the Dreamwalkers, but her department hadn''t been able toe up with any ideas for stopping the Ethereal invasion.


    "I hope you''re not trying to lie your way out of this mess. Because if you''re trying to trick me, the consequences will be dire," Eileen warned. "My department has dealt with far dangerous Mystics before. Taking down a few Dreamwalkers won''t be difficult at all."


    "Go ahead then. Ask your damn department to take down the cultists," Xander scoffed.


    "What cultists?" Eileen questioned, settling her eyes on Xander.


    "The ones who started the Emergence. The same ones who murdered Esther Williams," Xander replied, looking dead straight into her eyes. "They are a group of Mystics who worship Shamura. So, stop pointing fingers at us and find the real culprits."


    "He''s right. The cult of Shamura will stop at nothing. They are hell-bent on releasing the dark deity from captivity. If we can''t track them down before it''s toote, they will summon Shamura''s generals into this world. And if that happens, no army in the world can stop them," Leena added.


    Eileen wasn''t one to be scared easily, but hearing all these ominous words from the Dreamwalkers, she felt a cold chill run down her spine.


    "We are not your enemies. We need to work together instead of pointing fingers at each other," Leena said.


    With a gentle wave of her hand, Eileen instructed her agents to lower their weapons and decided to adopt a friendlier approach with the Dreamwalkers.


    "How confident are you that these portals will stop appearing if people stop sleeping at night?" she asked.


    "Our world has never experienced an Emergence before. I cannot be a hundred percent sure about anything. But this is your best bet. The Ethereals roaming the Nightscape cannot tolerate the light of day. The influence of the dark deity is the weakest during the daylight hours. There is still a chance of Dream Portals opening during the daytime, but the light should keep all nightmares at bay," Leena answered.


    Eileen wasn''t entirely convinced by Leena''s words, but before she could probe her further, one of her agents called out to her.


    "Ma''am, there''s been another Ethereal sighting in Faros. A new portal has appeared in front of the mayor''s Residence," he reported, lowering the front window and handing her the cordless ck phone.


    Eileen''s eyes widened, and beads of sweat broke out on her forehead as she heard the words from her superior at the other end of the line. The Ethereal sighting had prompted the authorities in Faros to dere a city-wide emergency and impose aplete curfew around Galing Avenue.

 Chapter 37: An unknown ethereal

    <h4>Chapter 37: An unknown ethereal</h4>


    The first responders had cordoned off the area around the mayor''s residence, but none of the rescue teams had managed to get close to the mansion to attempt an evacuation. The mayor was trapped in his residence along with his family and servants.


    With all their attempts to take down the Ethereal on the mansion grounds ending in failure, the cops had set up a defensive perimeter and called for backup.


    Seeing that they were dealing with creatures from another world, the authorities in Faros thought it wise to enlist the help of the Department of Mystical Affairs.


    Eileen and her agents had foiled the sinister ns of many twisted, power-hungry Mystics in the past, but they had no experience fighting entities from another world.


    Though Eileen wanted to back herself to break the stalemate at the mansion, after hearing the details over the radio, she didn''t feel too confident. The only one who had any experience dealing with bloodthirsty Ethereals was the guy standing before her.


    Keeping the interest of the citizens in mind, Eileen swallowed her pride and addressed Xander in a much softer tone.


    "There has been an Ethereal sighting outside the mayor''s residence in Galing Avenue. The cops have set up a defensive perimeter around the ce, but they can''t get through. The mayor and his family are still trapped inside the mansion."


    Xander raised his left eyebrow and gave her a look of disapproval. "I don''t see how that concerns me. I was here with you all this time. There''s no way you can pin the me on me again."


    "I''m not ming you for anything." Eileen paused for a moment and then forced the next unwanted words out of her mouth in a much calmer tone. "We need your help to deal with the Ethereal threat."


    "That sounds like a problem for your department. Don''t drag me into this. I''m sure you and your agents are more than capable of handling a few creatures from the other side," Xander sneered.


    Eileen wanted to snap back at Xander, but the sensitive situation forced her to treat the Dreamwalker with more respect than she thought he deserved.


    "If anything happens to the mayor, the whole city is gonna tear itself apart. There''ll be riots on every streete morning," Eileen said.


    "Good luck with that." With that final snarky remark, Xander turned to go.


    But Eileen wasn''t ready to just let him walk away. She balled her fists and called out after him, enticing him with an offer. "We willpensate you for your troubles. Fifty thousand vireks!"


    Xander stopped but didn''t turn around. "We''re talking about the mayor here. I''m sure you can manage a better offer." He snickered with an air of contempt.


    "How much?" Eileen muttered angrily.


    Leena couldn''t believe that Xander was haggling about his payment instead of trying to save the mayor. It was as if the only thing that mattered to him in this world was money.


    After pondering a while, Xander turned around to face Eileen. "Eighty thousand vireks and a clean chit from the Department of Mystical Affairs. I don''t want you or any of yourckeys bothering me again."


    "You''re crossing the line here, Xander Nyxon," Eileen muttered, holding back her suppressed anger.


    Xander grinned and replied, "The way I see it, you don''t have a choice. The longer you spend haggling with me, the worst it''s gonna get. Either ept my conditions or take a hike."


    "It''s the mayor she''s talking about. He''s the head of administration in Faros. Without him everything is going to fall apart," Leena intervened, hoping to make her friend see reason.


    But Xander had already made up his mind. "He could be a member of the Lower Council, and I still wouldn''t care. Nothing in this worldes for free," he replied without even bothering to look at her.


    Pressed into a tight spot, Eileen was forced to relent. "Fine, you''ll get what you asked for. Just help us evacuate the mayor and his family."


    Xander shook his head, letting a wry grin sh on his face. "It''s always about the elites. You wouldn''t have bothered if it was an ordinary family of fishermen," he huffed. "Either way, it''s all good as long as I''m getting paid. Let''s get moving."


    ***


    Riding with the Red Jackets was thest thing Xander had expected when he left his apartment in the evening. Every Talent wielder in Merantis knew the Department of Mystical Affairs wasposed of prejudiced Ordinaires who hated Mystics and were always looking for excuses to frame them for crimes they didn''tmit.


    However, the recent turn of events had flipped the tablepletely, leaving the Red Jackets with no choice but to seek the help of the Dreamwalkers.


    Though Eileen held several personal grudges against Xander, she too was forced to swallow her hatred and treat the Dreamwalker as an equal.


    shing blue beacon lights intermittently, the white SUV drove across Faros at top speed. With the curfew in ce, the streets were nearly empty save for the lonesome cop cars patrolling the main roads and the stray dogs barking in the shadowy alleys.


    As the SUV crossed the dark maze of alleys leading to Kessler Street, Xander lowered the rear window and looked out of the vehicle.


    The starless sky was overcast with ck clouds, and a foggy darkness nketed the deserted streets. Though it was the middle of winter, a warm breeze was blowing from the north, and the smell of rotten mushrooms pervaded the air.


    Sitting beside the driver, Eileen had her eyes glued to the road ahead. Even with both the fog lights turned on, navigating through this suffocating darkness proved to be a difficult challenge.


    The ring sirens and red beacon lights shing in the distance informed them that they had reached Galing Avenue. The whole area had been cordoned off by patrol vehicles and metal barricades.


    As the SUV came to a smooth halt near the makeshift checkpoint, a young cop approached the vehicle.


    "Eileen Williams, Chief Investigator, Department of Mystical Affairs," Eileen said, shing her badge. "We''re here to help."


    The cop looked at her with terrified eyes and mumbled a feeble reply. "We...can''t stop that thing. You''re all going to die...just like them."


    "You''re supposed to be a cop. Get a grip on yourself," Eileen reprimanded with raised eyebrows, but her words had little effect on the young officer. He kept staring into the nk space behind them like a madman.


    Leena quickly stepped out of the SUV and approached the cop. "What exactly did you see out there?" she asked.


    "An abomination. The curse of the Gods," the cop stuttered nervously. "You can''t fight it. You should run while you still can."


    "It''s going to be fine. We''re Dreamwalkers," Leena spoke reassuringly.


    The young cop kept mumbling iprehensible words as Xander and the others walked through the checkpoint. Eileen stationed two of her agents at the entrance and ordered the others to follow her lead.


    As Xander and hispanions walked up to the mansion grounds, a gruesome sight met their eyes.


    Blood-soaked bodies of cops in uniform were strewn across the road. Some had apple-sized holes in their chests while others had multiple gaping wounds in their abdomen through which their guts were spilling out like meaty ribbons.


    The few cops who were still in one piece were cowering behind their vehicles, drenched in sweat and tears.


    Among them was Detective Locksley himself. Though he didn''t look injured, his jacket was covered in blood, and his face looked gaunt and pale. It was almost as if he''d seen a ghost.


    The foggy darkness enveloping the mansion grounds made it impossible for them to see what was happening. Xander and hispanions had no clue what was in store for them.


    "What happened here?" Eileen asked, approaching the detective.


    Detective Locksley was shivering in fear and almost jumped out of his shoes as he heard her voice. Without getting up from his hiding spot, he lifted his eyes to meet her gaze.


    "We weren''t prepared for something like this," he whispered in a cold voice. "We''ve already lost fifteen patrol officers."


    "Why didn''t you call for backup?" Eileen asked, looking around nervously.


    "Our radios aren''t working. The best we could do was to send a runner to the HQ. I guess...he made it."


    Eileen and the others were still looking at the gruesome scene when Leena grabbed Xander''s left arm and pressed it tight. "It''s clearing up. Look over there."


    Xander slowly shifted his gaze, narrowing his eyes on the mansion ground. As the fog gradually dissipated, the carpet of green grass covering the frontwn finally became visible.


    Eileen was about to shout out a new set of instructions when her voice died inside her throat. As the silver rays of the waning moon zed the frontwn, she caught a glimpse of the grotesque abomination floating ten feet above the ground, blocking the only entrance to the mansion.


    It was a monstrous red eye with grizzly ck eyshes and dozens of barbed tentacles emerging from its back.


    The rotund eyeball was easily as big as a fully grown Gray Elephant and each of its squirming tentacles measured over three meters in length. Its jet ck iris enclosed a coral red pupil which was dting and constricting at regr intervals, and its bby eyelids were covered in slimy greens scales.


    The agents from the Department of Mystical Affairs froze where they stood, their knees seized by a sudden weakness. Their hearts were pounding rapidly inside their chests, and their palms had turned ice cold.


    Eileen slowly turned to Xander and asked in a feeble whisper, "What the hell is that thing?"


    Xander tightened his grip on his revolver as he swallowed an airy lump in his throat. "I have no idea. I''ve never encountered this kind of Ethereal before."

 Chapter 38: The first Gate

    <h4>Chapter 38: The first Gate</h4>


    Eileen''s eyes widened in horror as she beheld the monstrosity hovering over the mansion ground. She looked squarely at Xander and asked in a panicky voice, "What the hell do you mean? You''re supposed to be a Dreamwalker. How do you not know about this monster?"


    "The Nightscape is an infinite ne which keeps expanding with each new nightmare. There are more Ethereals there than there are stars in the sky. And every time a person''s mind conjures up a new twisted fear, it manifests itself in the form of a new Ethereal. There is no Dreamwalker alive who knows all the Ethereals dwelling in the dark heart of the veiled world."


    "But you killed those monsters in Windbell Park. This shouldn''t be a problem for you. We need to get to the mayor before it''s toote."


    Xander scoffed at Eileen''s ignorance. "I don''t even know what that thing is. Killing a few Implings is a piece of cake for any experienced Dreamwalker, but that Ethereal in front of the mansion is on a whole different level."


    As the drifting winds blew the clouds away, moonlight flooded Galing Avenue, dispelling the foggy darkness around the mansion and revealing an even more terrifying sight.


    There were strange lifelike statues scattered all over the mansion grounds. The first responders who had tried to run across thewn and shoot the Ethereal had been turned to stone and the more fortunate ones had been killed outright.


    There were bloodied corpses hanging from the orange trees and sprawled over the neatly trimmed hedges.


    A few of the bodies had evennded on the white marble fountain on the right side of the graveled path. Its clear spring water had turned a dirty shade of red and there were bloodstains on its sculpted floral base.


    The Ethereal''s barbed tentacles were still squirming menacingly as if waiting for their next victim. There was no way anyone could get close to the mansion while the monstrous eye kept watch.


    Just by looking at the petrified cops and the bodies littered across thewn, one could tell that setting foot on the mansion ground was no different than stepping into a death trap.


    Eileen however, still had high hopes on the Dreamwalkers.


    "The mayor is trapped there. We have to get to him before its toote," she said without taking her eyes off the Ethereal.


    "It''s impossible to go anywhere near that mansion," Xander replied.


    This prompted another angry outburst from Eileen. "Why the hell did I bring you here if you won''t be able to help out? I should have taken you into custody for conspiring against the city!"


    "I''m not your God damn errand boy!" Xander quipped sharply. "If you''re feeling so brave you should send your agents to rescue the mayor."


    "You insolent¡ª


    "This one didn''te out of a portal. Look over there," Leena interrupted Eileen and pointed at something behind the grotesque eyeball.


    It was a gray stone arch with ck smoke swirling inside it. The structure was rooted firmly into the ground and surrounded by four ck marble pirs crowned with shiny ck crystal balls floating above them.


    "It doesn''t look like that portal which opened in Windbell Park," Eileen remarked.


    "That''s because this isn''t a portal. It''s a gate...a Gate...a Nightmare Gate," Xander replied, his voice turning dark and cold.


    Detective Locksley had been listening to their conversation, but he didn''t have the nerve to stand back up and gaze at that Ethereal again. Without making any attempt to get out of cover, he asked, "What the hell is a Nightmare Gate?"


    "A Nightmare Gate is simr to a Nightmare Portal. They both connect our world to the Nightscape. But there are quite a few differences as well. Dreamwalkers like us can enter portals, but Gates do not allow any being from the real world to cross to the other side. However, Ethereals from the Nightscape can use the Gate to invade our world at will. Think of it as a one-way bridge," Xander exined.


    "Don''t tell me that these Nightmare Gates also appear spontaneously whenever someone has a nightmare," Eileen joined in.


    Xander shook his head. "No, Nightmare Gates are quite a rare urrence. The ancient Dreamwalker texts say that Nightmare Gates can only appear in the real world when several sleepers experience the same nightmare simultaneously."


    "How''s that even possible?" Eileen asked in confusion. She had never heard about people having the same dream or nightmare at the same time.


    "There are quite a few ways for that to happen. Someone could be manipting their nightmares or it could have been induced by a hallucinogen or a shared trauma," Leena exined. "But shared nightmares don''tst that long...unless."


    "Unless what?" Eileen asked.


    "Unless someone is preventing them from waking up," Leena replied.


    "So this gate will disappear if they wake up?" Eileen asked with a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes.


    Xander however, was quick to bring the bad news. "A Nightmare Gate which has once been opened doesn''t disappear on its own. Even if all the sleepers have awakened, it won''t make any difference. And the longer the Gatests, the worst it will get."


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Eileen turned to face Xander. Her eyebrows were knitted together and there were beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.


    "The Nightmare Gates are said to empower the Ethereals near it. Unless we find a way to destroy it, the Gate will keep feeding that freakish eyeball and increasing its power. Plus, there''s also a good chance that it will spawn other Ethereals as well."


    "So how do we close this Gate?" Detective Locksley pitched in with the same question which was on Eileen''s mind.


    "Gate''s cannot be closed once opened," Leena answered. As all eyes turned to her, she prepared a more detailed exnation. "We cannot close a Gate, but we can destroy it. That will prevent any other entities from crossing over to our world."


    "But for that we need to get close to that Gate and break the four nightmare crystals on top of those pirs," Xander said, eyeing the ck marble structures around the gate.


    "We can shoot it from here," Eileen replied, pulling out her sidearm.


    Xander immediately shook his head. "If you destroy the nightmare crystals without cleansing them first, they will wreak havoc on the surrounding area. The dark energy trapped within them can warp the fabric of space and distort reality. And if that happens, you can kiss goodbye to the mansion and all its residents."


    "You''re not being very helpful. We need a solution. You''re a Dreamwalker. There has to be something you can do to fix this situation," Eileen spoke in a disgruntled tone. She was done being nice to Xander.


    Detective Locksley sensed the hostility in Eileen''s voice and realized things were about to get heated soon. He quickly intervened. "He may be a Dreamwalker, but he can''t just go in there all guns zing and hope things work out. We need toe up with a n."


    "Nothing''s gonna work as long as that eye is looking in this direction. We''ll get petrified before we can cross thewn," Xander replied, ncing at the cops who had been turned to stone. "I''m pretty happy staying out of this. The mayor''s life isn''t worth it."


    "How dare¡ª


    "This isn''t just the Mayor''s problem, Xander." Before Eileen could reprimand him with a flurry of insults, Leena interrupted her.


    Xander turned to his friend with a curious gaze. "I really don''t care if the city depends on him. Nothing''s gonna convince me to set foot over there."


    "You still don''t get it, do you?" Leena questioned, staring into his eyes. "That Ethereal could kill the residents of the mansion whenever it wants. But it is choosing not to. It''s guarding the mansion."


    "Why would an Ethereal from the Nightscape guard a human residence?"


    "Maybe it wasmanded to do so. Nightmare Gates don''t just appear randomly. You know that someone helped to open that Gate. This has to be the work of those cultists. They could have killed the mayor if they wanted to, but they''ve kept him alive. It means that they need something from him."


    Leena''s wordspletely flipped Xander''s perspective on the situation. If this was indeed the work of the cultists, it meant that there was something inside that mansion that they needed. And if they got their hands on it, things were only going to get worse.


    "Faros will not survive if those cultists get what they want. We have to rescue the mayor." Leena''s words rang ominously in Xander''s ears.


    Though the odds were stacked against them, Xander knew he couldn''t let those cultists win this time. Taking a good look at the Ethereal, he turned to hispanions.


    "Alright, here''s the n. We need a distraction to keep that Ethereal busy. Leena and I are going to nk the mansion and climb over the back walls. We''re gonna need time to cleanse the crystals, so make sure you keep that thing away from us."


    "I will call for reinforcements. Sit tight and wait for me to return," Eileen replied.


    "My men can provide covering fire from here, but they aren''t going to enter the mansion grounds," Detective Locksley added. "Make sure you know what you''re doing."


    Xander nodded in agreement. "Fine. Just keep your eyes on the mansion. I''m gonna stock up on some supplies." Turning to Eileen, he added, "I need one of your agents to drop me at Ordeli Avenue first."


    "You can take my car," Detective Locksley said, tossing his keys to Eileen. "It''s parked at the left side of the road, under the fig tree. I''ll stay here with my team and try to keep that monster contained."


    Eileen handed the car keys to her second inmand and instructed him to take the Dreamwalker wherever he needed to go. She then took the second agent with her and got back into her white SUV.


    "Take us back to the HQ. We need reinforcements," she instructed, fastening her seatbelt.

 Chapter 39: Bone and shadow

    <h4>Chapter 39: Bone and shadow</h4>


    The agent drove Xander back to Ordeli Avenue, leaving him in front of the blind alley which led to the Shrine of Mordred.


    To have any chance of defeating that monstrous eye, Xander needed to stock up on cards, and unlike the other Dreamwalkers, he couldn''t retrieve them from his Guild House. Instead, he had to enter the dark deity''s shrine every time he needed to switch cards or weapons.


    As Xander walked up to the minacious wonder carved out of polished marble, its open doors abruptly shut in his face, and a dark aura enveloped its bulging ck dome.


    "Open up. I need my cards!" Xander shouted, banging his fist on the door. "Let me in!"


    Even after repeatedly mming his hands on the heavy wooden frames, they refused to budge. He tried using the skeleton key again to unlock the door, but this time it wouldn''t even turn inside the keyhole.


    All his attempts to twist the key ended in failure, leaving him covered in sweat and staring hopelessly at the dark wonder.


    Infuriated by this sudden trickery, the Dreamwalker stepped back from the door andnded a heavy kick on its wooden frame. As soon as his boot touched the carved surface, a powerful shock pushed him away, throwing him back into the dark alley.


    "Argh! God damn it!" Xander groaned as he felt a sharp pain re up in his right arm. His veins started glowing red under his skin, and his fingers looked charred. He realized it had been caused by touching that ursed door.


    Frustrated and struggling with an unbearable pain, Xander gritted his teeth and approached the shrine once more. Holding his right arm behind his back, he muttered angrily at the door. "Why won''t you open for me? I am the herald of Mordred!"


    As soon as those words left his mouth, a demonic head appeared on the door. It was that same sinister face which had wee Mordred the first time.


    "This shrine is only for the faithful. A Dreamwalker who strays from the path of my Lord cannot be permitted to defile His sacred abode with his tainted footsteps," Gamkin remonstrated in his guttural voice.


    "I''m not in the mood to figure out your stupid riddles. What the hell did I do wrong?" Xander asked.


    "My Lord has chosen you as his herald and given you a second chance so that you may serve him well. Yet you refuse to fulfill your duties toward him," Gamkin replied.


    "Oh, so it''s about the Mystic Souls. I knew your master always had ulterior motives," Xander snapped back at him. He clenched his teeth tightly to suppress the pain before continuing. "I never agreed to use the Altar of Corruption. It wasn''t part of our deal."


    "This isn''t about the altar!" Gamkin growled, his eyes spewing infernal fire. "You have failed to stop the cultists. A Gate has already appeared in your world and the ones responsible are nowhere to be found."


    "I''m doing my best to find them. I need more time," Xander muttered.


    "If you fail to put an end to their ambitions, they will not stop until they have summoned all of Shamura''s generals. And when that happens, Shamura will walk upon your world and im it as her domain. My master would not be happy about that."


    "Do you think I want that to happen? This is my world. I live here, in case you haven''t noticed," Xander scoffed in his face.


    The demonic skull flew out of the door and rushed at him. Floating inches away from Xander''s face, it spoke in a hoarse voice. "I know what you''ve been up to, Dreamwalker. You keep trying to walk away from your problems. That won''t do anymore. You must ept the duties of a herald and smite the Ethereals in His name. Close the portals in your world and destroy that Gate!"


    "I don''t need you to lecture me about how I should handle things," Xander retorted sharply. He was in no mood to let Mordred''sckey lecture him about his duties.


    "My master does not like¡ª


    "That''s the thing, Gamkin. I answer only to Mordred, not to his little pet. So, get the hell out of my way and let me do my job," Xander retorted, cutting him off.


    The demonic skull turned blood red and started fuming from its mouth. mes erupted from its eye sockets as it rose higher and higher still.


    "Your pride will be your fall!"


    As Gamkin shouted his final words, the skull burst into mes, scattering embers all over the dark alley.


    The doors of the shrine were flung open once again, and the dark aura dissipated like mist. Xander touched his medallion to cure his burnt arm before heading inside the shrine.


    Now that Xander had upgraded Dealer''s Gift to level 2, it allowed him to carry all five cards he had in his possession. Without a second thought, he picked up the entire deck floating before the statue.


    [Cards selected:]


    [1.Eye of Truth (Dream Card)]


    [2. Oracle''s Protection (Dream Card)]


    [3. Destiny''s Child (Dream Card)]


    [4. Beast Companion (Dream Card)]


    [5. Arctic Kiss (Dream Card)]


    These five Dream Cards were enough to deal with minor threats, but Xander wasn''t convinced they would be effective against that monstrous eye he''d spotted outside the mansion.


    The Altar of Corruption beckoned him with the promise of power. All he needed to do was sacrifice the soul of a Mystic in Mordred''s name. It was a tough decision, but he decided to steer clear of the altar for now.


    Having collected his gear, Xander approached the idol of the three-headed dragon on the other side of the room.


    [The Herald of Mordred seeks his blessings.]


    [Offer a sacrifice to awaken a new rank.]


    "Of course," Xander muttered. Using the sharp ws of the statue, he slit his left palm open. Blood dripped onto the dragon''s feet, dying it incarnadine.


    A rumbling voice issued forth from the dragon''s throat, and the stone statue''s eyes lit up like burning coals. "The herald is blessed with fire. His binds burnt to ashes."


    [New rank obtained!]


    [Dreamwalker rank: Adept.]


    [Skill tree partially awakened.]


    Obtaining the new rank opened up whole new avenues for Xander. His skill tree expanded automatically, awakening a set of new skills that he could unlock by spending a single skill point.


    However, currently, he didn''t have any additional points in his inventory, so he had to wait until he reached a new level.


    With that, Xander was about to leave the shrine when he remembered something. Instead of walking out, he stood there and pulled out the Dagger of Diminishing from inside his jacket.


    The dagger''s de was no longer shining but had turned rusty and dull and its handle felt cold to touch.


    [Relic drained.]


    [New objective: Locate the Well of Despair to recharge the relic.]


    As the glowing words floated in the air, Xander felt the ground trembling under his feet. The dagger slipped from his hand and fell on the tiled floor. Before he could pick it up, it slid across the floor and stopped behind the Altar of Corruption.


    Xander followed the dagger as it led him to a foggy ck tile. As he lifted the dagger from the floor, a runic symbol appeared on the tile and started emitting a ghastly green light.


    Xander quickly pulled out his Chronica only to find that its hands were pointing straight at twelve. Putting the pocket watch away, he knelt and touched the glowing tile. As his fingers touched the runic symbol, the tile slid back to reveal a winding flight of stairs descending into darkness.


    "Let me guess, the well''s down there," Xander huffed, shoving the dagger back inside his jacket.


    Plucking one of the torches mounted on the nearest stone pir, Xander carefully made his way down the stairs, navigating his way through the treacherous darkness. The path led him to an underground dungeon with barred cells on each side.


    Xander was about to take his first step when the floor copsed under him and he fell through. He expected a hardnding, but luckily a bed of damp mosses and vines cushioned him from the impact.


    The torch, however, had been extinguished, leaving him inplete darkness. Xander pulled out his Chronica again and let its glowing hands guide him forward.


    Twenty stepster, the Chronica started vibrating in Xander''s palm, but it didn''t chime. Xander stopped at once and took a deep breath of the damp air.


    "The sleeping child seeks woe, for his de feeds on suffering," a disembodied voice whispered from the shadows.


    "Who are you? Show yourself," Xander said, reaching for his gun.


    Suddenly, a feeble light flooded the area. Xander looked up in astonishment and saw hundreds of white apparitions flying over him.


    "The child of man fears what he does notprehend, for he is as ignorant as themb bred for sacrifice," the same voice whispered again.


    Xander followed the direction of the voice with wary steps and eventually came upon a skeletal figure robed in tattered gray rags standing before a well lined with human skulls.


    "Wee to the Inner Sanctum, Dreamwalker," the skeletal figure greeted him without lifting its head.


    "And just who are you?" Xander asked.


    "I am the one who guards the Well of Despair and shields it from the light of hope," the skeletal figure replied, looking straight at Xander through its empty eye sockets. "My name is Kokalotas, the undying," he groaned in a mournful voice.

 Chapter 40: Well of Despair

    <h4>Chapter 40: Well of Despair</h4>


    A shabbily dressed entity made entirely out of bones wasn''t exactly what Xander was expecting when he set out to look for the Well of Despair. Kokalotas didn''t appear to be hostile, but he was standing in front of the well like an ancient gatekeeper.


    "Pleased to meet you. My name''s Xander Nyxon. I''m sure your master would have told you about me." Ignoring the guardian, Xander approached the well.


    "I do not have any master," Kokalotas dered, spreading his bony arms to block Xander''s path. "Only the worthy may drink from the Well of Despair."


    Xander stopped a few paces away from the skeletal figure and heaved a sigh. "I''m not here for a drink. I just need to awaken the Dagger of Diminishing. So, please stand aside and let me through."


    "None shall pass without proving their worth," Kokalotas reiterated much to the Dreamwalker''s annoyance.


    "You''re just another lousy skeleton. I''ve dealt with far tougher undead before. Don''t test my patience," Xander muttered, ring at the guardian.


    Instead of being intimidated, Kokalotas stood his ground and matched Xander''s gaze. Pits of swirling darkness stared back at Xander as he looked at Kokalotas'' hollow eye sockets. His face was as devoid of emotion as his cold voice.


    "You are wee to test your strength against me, Dreamwalker. But I must caution you that I am not an undead. I have existed long before your first cities sprang to their glory and I shall continue guarding the well even after your world crumbles to dust," Kokalotas whispered in an eerily prophetic voice.


    "You asked for it!" Xander snapped, shooting Kokalotas in the head. It shattered the guardian''s skull, breaking a bony chunk from the top.


    Kokalotas staggered back as five more bullets shattered his lower jaw, exposing three sets of brittle white teeth. But, the guardian barely moved an inch from his spot.


    "Had enough or would you like me to continue?" Xander threatened waving his smoking revolver in Kokalotas'' face.


    To his great shock, the guardian''s damaged skull reformed in seconds, restoring his shattered lower jaw and sealing all the cracks on its surface. It didn''t even look like Xander had fired his weapon at him.


    Kokalotas stretched out his right hand and conjured a gray wooden staff overgrown with dusty roots. mming it hard against the ground, he stared at Xander. "There will be order."


    As the guardian''s hoarse voice resounded through the darkness, the apparitions flying overhead started wailing in their shrill voices. Xander had to holster his gun and cover his ears to block out their bloodcurdling cries.


    When the wailing finally stopped, Xander lifted his head and looked up at the bony guardian. "What the hell do you want me to do?"


    "Prove your worth, Dreamwalker," Kokalotas repeated.


    "How?" Xander muttered in frustration.


    "By answering my questions."


    "I need to close a Nightmare Gate. People''s lives are in danger. I don''t have time for your silly riddles," Xander retorted condescendingly.


    Suddenly, Kokalotas lifted his staff and mmed it against the ground, forcing Xander onto his knees. Despite trying his best to lift his head, Xander found it impossible to straighten his body. It was as if an invisible hand was holding him down.


    "You can either answer my questions or walk away from the well. These are your only choices," Kokalotas dered, slowly raising his staff from the ground and allowing Xander to stand back up.


    "I would love to answer your questions, but I don''t have the time. If that Gate isn''t closed, things are gonna take a nasty turn," Xander said in a final attempt to reason with the guardian, but the skeletal being remained adamant.


    "The sands of time trickle much slower inside the Shrine of Mordred. It is a part of the veiled realm. You of all people should have known that. Even if you spend a day here, merely a few hours will pass in your world," Kokalotas replied.


    Seeing no other option before him, Xander eventually relented.


    "Fine, I''ll answer your questions. Get on with it."


    Kokalotas waved his empty hand, dispersing the apparitions flying overhead. Hundreds of violet daffodils sprang from the ground as he put his staff away.


    "I dream of a dainty yellow cottage surrounded by fields of grass. A chestnut mare stands outside my door with a fair maiden seated on its brown saddle. What do I yearn for, Dreamwalker?" Kokalotas asked.


    At the Dreamwalkers'' Guild, Master Arwin had taught everyone that every single dream was meaningful and reflected a person''s deepest desires. However, the interpretations varied depending on the person''s nature and lifestyle.


    Though Xander had interpreted dreams before, his clients had never been otherworldly beings. Before answering Kokalotas'' question, Xander deemed it necessary to ask for some rifications.


    "What time of day is it in your dream? And who else is there with you?"


    A faint grin appeared on Kokalotas'' face as his lower jaw shifted ever so slightly. "It is midday and the sun is blushing from behind the fleecy white clouds. I am alone inside my cottage, staring at the chestnut mare through a little wooden window," he answered.


    Xander analyzed all the information in his mind, paying close attention to every little detail. The answers were within his grasp now, but he had a hunch that there was some trick to it.


    "I await your answer, Dreamwalker. What do I yearn for?" Kokalotas asked again.


    "You yearn for love, but not the usual kind," Xander replied.


    Kokalotas looked intrigued by his reply and urged him to continue.


    "The fair maiden represents love, but the chestnut mare she rides symbolizes a yearning for adventure. You yearn for a wild and untamed love that will set you free from your homely captivity," Xander added.


    Kokalotas'' bony hands pped in appreciation, and a hoarse chuckle escaped from his cackling jaw. "Your answer was impressive. You certainly know your way around dreams."


    "Finally," Xander sighed. "Now please let me through."


    "Not so fast, Dreamwalker. You have only fulfilled half the promise. The well still lies beyond your reach," Kokalotas replied.


    "You''ve gotta be kidding me. What else do you need me to do?" Xander asked in a frustrated voice.


    "You''ve unraveled the gift inside my dream, but you must also free me from my nightmare."


    "Fine! But this better be thest of your questions." Xander frowned, fixing his ring eyes on the skeletal frame.


    "You have my word, Dreamwalker. This will be your final trial." Kokalotas'' hollow sockets shed for a split second, and that was enough for Xander to catch a glimpse of something unsettling.


    Gulping the airy lump in his throat, Xander faked a smile to put on an act of confidence. But deep down, he was beginning to feel uneasy about this whole situation.


    "I am naked and running through a dark alley. A faceless man is pursuing me with a weapon in hand. What am I afraid of?" Kokalotas asked.


    Despite the seriousness of the situation, Xander couldn''t help but scoff at him mockingly. "You''re pretty naked right now as well. The nightmare doesn''t make much sense when I really think about it."


    "You have a devious sense of humor, but it doesn''t impress me," Kokalotas spoke in a stern voice. "If you are unable to answer the question, I cannot let you pass."


    "There are a lot of things you could be afraid of. Nightmares areplicated. Every nightmare has a different meaning for a different person," Xander responded.


    "Let me ease your burdens then. You are the one having the nightmare. What are you afraid of, Xander Nyxon?" Kokalotas'' voice turned raspy and jarring as he rephrased his question.


    Xander''s face darkened as he heard the new question. The nightmare Kokalotas had mentioned had a personal significance for Xander since he had experienced it plenty of times after his sister''s death.


    After pondering for a while, Xander replied, "I''m not afraid of anything."


    "If that is your final answer, then I am afraid you must turn your back on the well and never return," Kokalotas glowered.


    "A naked dream symbolizes anxiety. It suggests fear of confronting a difficult situation or being unprepared," Xander replied. He paused for a while before continuing. "If that was my nightmare I could be afraid of a lot of things... judgment from society...fear of failure...or fear of not being good enough."


    "You''re wrong once again. This is your final chance, Dreamwalker. Answer my question with honesty or turn away from me."


    Xander understood that Kokalotas was trying to probe his mind and dig out his most painful secrets. He had tried throwing his words around to give a vague answer to the guardian, but Kokalotas could tell Xander wasn''t being honest.


    "I''m afraid you aren''t worthy, Dreamwalker. Seek the well no more, for it shall never quench your thirst. Walk¡ª


    "Hold on," Xander muttered through gritted teeth. "That nightmare...symbolizes the fear of death. I am afraid of watching my...loved ones dying before me. I am afraid of facing my guilt. I am afraid of my own helplessness. That''s what the nightmare means."


    There wasplete silence for a minute. Even the wailing apparitions turned mute. A soft white glow spread through the darkness, and a raspy groan echoed from inside the well.


    Kokalotas stood aside and bowed to Xander. "You have confronted your fears and answered my questions correctly. The Well of Despair awaits you."


    The very next moment, the skeletal guardian disappeared into thin air, and the well lit up with an eerie glow. Xander heard a multitude of voices calling out to him and gripped his gun tighter, expecting another unsettling encounter.

 Chapter 41: Only way forward

    <h4>Chapter 41: Only way forward</h4>


    Led on by the mysterious voices, Xander pressed forward with cautious footsteps. His boots squeezed the soggy clumps of moss on the floor, ttening them with each step. The withered green vines squirmed out his way, clearing a path to the well.


    The haunting voices grew louder as Xander neared the well and then stopped abruptly when he touched the damp stone wall. Clutching the curved perimeter, Xander leaned over the cracked edge to take a better look at what was inside.


    The Well of Despair was filled with an odorless ck liquid that sparkled in the dim white glow. As Xander continued staring at it, a reflection appeared on the water''s surface. Scenes from Xander''s worst nightmares danced on the ssy ck surface as it rippled and quivered.


    It was too much for Xander to bear, and he pulled back before the reflections could drive him mad.


    [Well of Despair located!]


    [300 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 1000/3000.]


    [Current Level: 5.]


    "What the hell is this ce?" he mumbled, stepping away. "Those are all my nightmares. How is this possible?"


    The answer came in the form of a multitude of disembodied voices whispering from the dark depths of the well.


    "The Well of Despair shows nothing but the truth. Only nightmares dwell beneath these waters. It quenches a mortal''s thirst for knowledge but fills him with profound misery. Drink at your own peril."


    At first, Xander was surprised to see such a powerful entity guarding a simple well, but now it became clear to him that the Well of Despair wasn''t just a source of power for his relic. Anyone who drank the waters of the well could relive all their past nightmares.


    While most ordinary people would never want to revisit their bad dreams, a Dreamwalker could learn valuable lessons from his previous nightmares. By finding the right nightmare and untangling its knots, Xander could not only ovee his deepest fears but discover the darkest secrets buried in his past.


    The temptation to drink from the well was hard to ovee, but Xander fought the urge to do something so reckless. Getting trapped in his own nightmare would have disastrous consequences, and he wasn''t willing to take the risk without someone watching his back.


    Ignoring the whispering voices, Xander grabbed the wooden bucket lying nearby and tossed it into the well. A resounding ssh indicated it had taken a deep plunge. Xander quickly grabbed the rope with both hands and pulled it with all his might.


    It wasn''t the first time Xander was drawing water from a well. Having spent his early years in the countryside, he was quite used to such strenuous tasks. However, this time the weight proved to be too much. It was almost as if he was trying to haul a bloated corpse out of the well.


    "God damn it! How the hell is it so freaking heavy?" Xander grunted and cursed as he continued pulling on the rope.


    "Heavy lies the heart that is burdened with grief. And heavier still are the forgotten memories," a multitude of female voices uttered inmenting tones.


    Xander pressed his feet firmly on the ground and started walking back to use the weight of his whole body to lift the bucket. His hands trembled under the load, spraining his biceps, but he persisted, using thest ounce of strength left in his body to get the bucket above the wall.


    Surprisingly enough, as soon as the filled bucket came out of the well, its weight reduced drastically, and it became as light as a feather.


    Holding the rope firmly in his left hand, Xander used his free hand to ce the bucket conveniently on top of the well''s wall.


    After learning the dark secrets of the well, he was having second thoughts about dipping his fingers into its waters, so he carefully plunged the dagger by its handle, plunging the de into the dark liquid.


    Smoke fizzled out of the rusty dagger as the waters of the well corroded its surface. Once more, its de shone like a sharpened razor. As Xander pulled it out of the bucket, he saw that it was glistening brighter than before, and its handle felt warm.


    [Objectiveplete: Relic recharged.]


    [Dagger of Diminishing reawakened.]


    [500 exp gained.]


    [umted exp: 1500/3000.]


    [Current Level: 5.]


    [50 Nightmare Coins obtained.]


    [50 Dream Coins obtained.]


    "I really hope it was worth the trip," Xander whispered to himself as he put the dagger safely back inside his jacket.


    Now that the he had everything he wanted, he only needed to find a way out of the dungeon and exit the temple. He was looking around searchingly when a white portal appeared before him.


    "Step forth and continue your journey, Dreamwalker," Kokalotas'' familiar voice echoed in Xander''s ears.


    As Xander stepped through the portal, he was teleported right outside the shrine.


    [Blessing of Mordred Acquired: For the next two hours, the Dreamwalker will gain double shards and coins by defeating Ethereals andpleting objectives.]


    "Alright, that''s gonnae in handy if I survive the next encounter," Xander huffed.


    Eileen''s subordinate picked Xander up as he walked out of the dark alley. They drove straight back to Galing Avenue without making any more stops.


    As Xander alighted from the vehicle, he nced at his watch and was relieved to see that only twenty minutes had passed. It was just like Kokalotas had said. Time moved a lot slower inside the shrine.


    By this time, Eileen had managed to notify the authorities in Faros, and they had dispatched reinforcements at once. Since the target wasn''t amon public area, but the private residence of a city official, they didn''t hesitate to send the Rapid Response Force.


    Armed with bolt-action rifles and shotguns, the men in blue were ready to deal with any threat...or so they thought.


    Leena breathed a sigh of relief as she spotted Xander walking up to them. Having never dealt with such a dangerous Ethereal, she was starting to feel nervous. But Xander''s return eased her jittery nerves.


    "What''s the situation here?" Xander asked, eyeing the Ethereal.


    "The Ethereal has been in that same position the entire time. It hasn''t tried to attack us yet. I think it''s guarding the gate," Leena surmised.


    "That means the gate is going to spawn more Ethereals if we''re not quick." Xander turned to Detective Locksley. "Tell your men to fire on the Ethereal and lure it away from the gate. Leena and I will go around the back."


    "We already tried that. It blocked our attacks with its tentacles, but didn''t move an inch from its spot."


    Xander looked at the Ethereal again and then shifted his gaze to look at the statues and corpses littered across thewn.


    "It seems like this Ethereal only attacks those who try to enter the mansion grounds. It''s probably guarding both the gate and the mansion," Xander said.


    "That doesn''t sound too good. How do we get to the Mayor?" Eileen asked.


    "I have to kill the Ethereal. There''s no other way," Xander answered, pulling out his scythe.


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