The night was heavy. The dormitory lights flickered, as if manipulated by invisible fingers. Ethan sat on the edge of his bed, palms still damp with cold sweat. He could hear the echo of that one phrase clearly:
"Ethan… I'm still here. Don't trust them."
The voice was unmistakably Xirei's—but the problem was—how could a dead man speak?
Ethan rubbed his forehead hard, trying to clear his mind. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw Xirei's silhouette, standing half-shrouded at the edge of a rift. It seemed to call him, yet also to warn him.
"Is it an illusion, or…" he murmured, his voice oddly loud in the empty dorm.
—
The next morning, Karl led him to the interrogation room.
A survivor sat in an iron chair, pale and vacant-eyed. He was one of the last people evacuated from "Dreamtown" before the nightmare rift was sealed. According to the files, he may have had contact with a nightmare host.
"You said you saw a young man in your dreams?" Karl asked softly.
The survivor trembled, hesitating before nodding."Yes… he was standing among the people, as if trying to lead me out. He… his name… it's… X—"
"Take your time," Karl's eyes hardened, lowering his voice. "Focus. Remember clearly."
Ethan's heart tightened violently, almost propelling him forward. He clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms, barely restraining himself.
The survivor swallowed painfully, lips quivering."He said… his name is Xirei."
For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
Ethan's head shot up, breath ragged. Karl pressed firmly on his shoulder, a warning in his low voice:"Stay calm."
The survivor continued muttering,"But then, his eyes changed… they were like a black abyss. He told me not to be afraid, that he wasn't a monster…"
Karl's brow furrowed."And after that?"
The survivor shook his head."I don't know. I woke up here."
—
Walking out of the interrogation room, Ethan felt utterly hollowed out.
The hallway lights were blindingly white. He stared at the floor, but his mind echoed only with the survivor's words:
"He said he isn't a monster."
That wasn't a hallucination. At least, he wasn't the only one who had heard it.
"Ethan." Karl's voice pulled him back to reality. His partner's expression was complex."I can see everything you're thinking. But let me remind you—the director won't tolerate you digging any deeper. Don't forget, hosts have no second chance."
"And if he really still has awareness?" Ethan snapped his head up, eyes bloodshot."If Xirei is still alive, he shouldn't be treated as a monster."
Karl was silent for a long moment, then finally said:"Sometimes, the truth is harsher than any illusion."
—
Night fell.
Ethan returned to the dorm alone; the building was terrifyingly silent. The old desk lamp flickered a few times, casting vague shadows across the walls.
Suddenly, he felt one shadow shift slightly—not following the light, but moving independently.
Ethan sprang to his feet."Who's there?"
In the darkness, the shadow stretched and morphed into a human silhouette. That voice sounded again:
"Ethan… you have to trust me."
His heart seized; he nearly lunged forward. But the next instant, the shadow warped violently, transforming into a snarling claw that swung at him.
Ethan reflexively drew his psionic dagger. Its glow sliced through the darkness—the shadow disintegrated into nothingness.
The dorm fell silent again, as if nothing had happened.
Ethan leaned against the wall, chest heaving. He murmured:"Xirei… are you real… or just a nightmare?"
No answer came.
Only the wind, whispering like a cold, mocking laugh.