At the edge of the slums, a young man holding an energy drink walked listlessly toward the police station while cold winds blew past him, sending a shiver down his body. Just one look at him was enough to tell he hadn't slept in days. He had bags under his eyes with his clothes looking dirty and worn. clearly not enough to combat the late autumn weather. Taking one last sip to finish the can before throwing it in the trash, before releasing a sigh.
"Taste like battery acid, but sure does do the job."
The young man walked into the police station and walked up to a middle aged officer who was on break eating a sandwich.
The officer looked up to the young man and calmly said "you looking for help kid, the reception desk is over there." Pointing toward the desk just across the room.
The young man then spoke to the officer while trying to stop his head from drooping. "As demanded by the third special directive, I am here to surrender myself as a carrier of the nightmare spell."
The officers face immediately changed from laid back to alert.
"Are you sure? when did you start felling symptoms?" he asked while looking the kid up and down in an anxious manner.
The young man straighted his back that had been arched from tiredness revealing a hieght of around 5'9.
"More than sure and the first signs were four days ago."
Hearing this the officers face changed once more this time from alert to frightened since the young man in front of him could fall asleep and become a monster iat any moment.
"Attention! Code Black in the lobby! I repeat code Black!"
_________
The nightmare spell was a disease or curse of sorts that first appeared a few decades ago. at first the infected would feel unnaturally tired and when they went asleep they awoke in another world and had to complete some sort of trial or die. If they died their bodies in the waking world would become a monster that would kill anyone in the surroundings.
Through clearing the first trial the infected would become a sleep where they would be sent into a place called the dream realm on the day of the winter solstice. If they found a gated way and got back to the waking world they would become an awakened. then they would have to conquer the second nightmare to become a master and the third to become a saint. A saint was the pinnacle of the current humanity with the first ones, Broken sword and his cohort, appearing about 15 years ago.
Though all of this had nothing to do with the young man who looked to be barely older then fifteen who was restrained on a device that looked like a mix of a hospital bed and a torture device.
Soon the vault door opened and an old officer walked in. first he checked the restraints then spoke.
"what's your name, kid?"
The young man shook his head lightly to stay awake.
"Soren"
The officer asked with a soft questioning tone.
"no last name?"
The young man named Soren looked at the officer and smiled saying.
"lucky to have a first name not everyone where I'm from has one."
The old officer snorted and said in a tone like he knew the answer.
"If you have any family do you want me to contact them?"
"none."
"thought so most kids your age don't come here alone if they're infected normally some one brings them."
The office said while a hint of pity flashed in his eyes before he shook his head and ignored it.
"How long can you stay awake Soren?"
"Not long... a few minutes maybe. This bed making me lay down isn't helping." Sorent said while giving short but noticeable laugh.
"Then we don't have time for full procedures. try to stay awake while I tell you what you need to know. youre about to undertake you first trial. in the trial you may have to kill a nightmare creature or a people or both. remember the nightmare trial is just an illusion of sorts and everything you do inside isn't real so kill if you must and don't let guilt drag you down. the goal of the trial it to stay alive even if you do nothing else eventually you'll get out alive."
the old officer said this quickly as he knew Soren didn't have much time left as he continued.
"when you enter the trial the first thing you need to do is check to attributes and aspect. no aspects are useless. some combat oriented, some sorcery or utility aspects. No matter what you obtain they are all use full and can help you as long as used properly. If you survive you can gain incredible power, if you die a nightmare creature will appear for me and my colleague to deal with. so please... don't die."
Hearing this Soren almost felt touched before the officer continued.
"at least wait long enough for the nearest awakened to arrive and support us."
With that the image of a kind old public servant flew right out the window of sorens mind.
Right when he was falling asleep his life flashed before his eyes. Or rather his last life. In this life he lived in a parallel world where he was a soldier for the now Death Zone America. He remembered everything in this life vividly and perfectly. Right from every word of the novels the read late at night to the video games he played.
Right when he was going to attempt to get his thoughts in order, Soren finally drifted asleep unknown when or if he'd wake up.
Then, in the darkness, a faintly familiar voice spoke:
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare spell. Prepare for your first trial...]