Later inside the dorms, Kieron felt tired. Unnaturally so. It seems the intense events are catching up with him. The shift in intensity of his lifestyle was massive and abrupt. And it would only get worse.
I need to get used to this; I don't have a choice.
Just like that, days flew by. Kieron's tiredness got worse and worse, but that didn't let Kieron stop. It was life or death, so he worked his ass off.
First off, he found out that the amulet filled with 'time' at about one-fourth of the rate at which time flows. Which is slow, considering days of time is consumed each time.
Second, Kieron got closer to sunny. Through the wilderness classes after all. Sunny obviously didn't trust him, but it was a start.
Third, he got used to fighting. He lost his hesitation overtime, and he got better and better at thinking during fights.
It had been a week since he got here. Now, Kieron felt like he needed a slight rest. The urge to sleep was worsening.
Why am I showing symptoms of a nightmare seed? Wait… I'm fucked, aren't I?
Kieron ran as fast as he could to his room and brainstormed. Nothing came to his mind. Getting help would be worse as well. All he could do was pray that he could use Caster's aspect in the first nightmare.
Just like that, Kieron fell asleep.
***
Kieron woke up in a body similar to his body from the previous life. He was surrounded by books. Taking a closer look at the place, it turned out to be a library. A massive library that Kieron couldn't see the end too.
What… where could this place possibly exist in the dream realm? Hmm, there's lots I don't know, I should focus right now. Runes.
Name: Caster
True Name: -
Rank: Aspirant
Soul core: Dormant
Memories: [Green Jade Jian], [Hourglass Charm], [Poetic Mantle]
Echoes: -
Attributes: [Knowledge Usurper], [Sorcerer]
Aspect: [Detached]
Aspect Description: [Clears your mind]
Damn it! Only my part of the soul travelled so I can't use Caster's abilities. Well, I at least got more attributes… wait, it says Caster? Why? Isn't this my part of the soul? This is concerning. Does the spell not know that our souls mixed together, or perhaps it's because caster was the one who came to a nightmare first. Marking his soul to the spell? I don't know how I feel about this. This doesn't seem to make much sense either.
[Knowledge Usurper]: Gains and learns knowledge and skills faster. Both mental and physical.
[Sorcerer]: Has high affinity towards learning sorcery.
That's… that's great! Yes! They seem to be attributes I got from my part of the soul; I can't see caster have these attributes.
His eyes landed on the memory section, his pupils dilated slightly.
Luckily, I kept the memories. I might be the first person, ever, to take memories to a first nightmare. That's enough. I can at least fight… or can I? Since, only my part of the soul arrived…
Kieron began to swing around the sword. It lost its edge. The swordsmanship was still okay, since Kieron had been practicing and understanding its basics but, Kieron lost the skill that came from Caster's soul.
Kieron started murmuring, "Am I Kieron or am I Caster?"
What a ridiculous thought. Kieron thought to himself.
Soon enough after calming down and organizing all the information, Kieron started pacing around the library, noticing the different things there. The library was filled with a seemingly never-ending source of books. There were also people who were constantly organizing.
And kids too. Are they trapped here like me? Will I eventually get like these robotic humans if I don't escape in time? That is kind of terrifying to think off.
Walking up to one of the entranced kids, Kieron shook his shoulders, breaking the kid apart from the manipulation.
In a gentle voice Kieron began the conversation to try to gain more information.
"Hello~ What are you doing here?"
The sudden break from mental control caught the kid off guard. The child collapsed to his knees, the weight of unseen terror driving him to the ground as if the world itself had turned hostile. His small frame convulsed with ragged coughs, each one tearing through his chest like splinters of glass. Kieron was in no hurry; he decided to help the kid for a bit at least and get some information.
Throughout the Kieron's company, the kid didn't say anything at all.
Poor kid… These people seem to be unstable and controlled. Perhaps some sort of puppetry. It means that I'm up against an awakened terror at the very least. Great.
Kieron went around the library checking up on many people, none of them had reactions much different from the kid earlier, except a few volatile ones that seemed to have died due to that.
He moved through the hours like a ghost wearing his own skin, every sound too loud, every silence unbearable. His hands felt foreign now, as though they no longer belonged to someone innocent.
What am I even supposed to do?
Not making any progress, and wanting to direct his attention from the 'crime' earlier, Kieron began studying certain books, none seemed explicitly useful, but it gave him a general idea of the library. The place wasn't infinite, it just looped. Which made way more sense, it was still massive but not out of the norm kind of massive.
I'll need to find a way to escape this place. I can't risk spending much time here, what if I miss winter solstice, I don't know what will happen then. Plus, I don't want to risk becoming a puppet.
The place was giving him eerie vibes. Dark, ambient sounds escaped from places that Kieron couldn't identify. It just made exploring scarier.
However, Kieron was calmer than he expected himself to be. Partly because of his aspect, and partly because just having read the novel gave him confidence. A hell lot of it. Despite it not having anything to do with this situation.
He knew the outrageous things sunny went through were the peak of outrageousness, so he wasn't particularly worried. He knew he had a chance, even if might be just 1%. But sometimes, even 1% is enough.
I need to kill the terror behind this somehow. But does it even exist in this place? Or am I stuck somehow. Think Kieron, think. The spell doesn't hand out executions. There is always a way.
After contemplating on the issue for a while, Kieron stopped exploring the place. He needed to conserve energy. And he couldn't find out anything new. He sat in stillness, the world around him soft and distant, as though muffled by the weight of his thoughts. Time slipped by unnoticed, not in minutes but in drifting silences.
I think I have an idea…