::SPEAK, MORTAL. WHAT MANNER OF SOUL HAST THOU?::
Suddenly, the light vanished from the sky as darkness swallowed the entire forest.
A thick fog rolled in from every direction, creeping between the trees, growing heavier with each passing second until the world itself seemed to dissolve within it.
I stood frozen, completely baffled by the sudden change. Before I realized it, everything was gone.
The knight, Grace… even the sound of life itself had disappeared.
Only I remained, standing alone in a fog-drenched forest, with something vast and unseen stirring beyond the trees.
Strangely, there was no pain, no injury, no heartbeat. I couldn't even feel my body.
If I had to describe my state, it was as if I… was the fog itself.
Weightless. Formless. Yet somehow, still there.
::HOW CURIOUS… IT HATH BEEN EONS SINCE I LAST BEHELD SUCH AN ANOMALY::
The eerie voice rumbled again, and I felt myself flickering, swapping in and out of existence from the sheer intensity of it.
'The hell…'
I forced myself to focus, trying to make sense of what was happening.
I looked around, searching for the source of the voice, but all I could see was something moving inside the fog, barely visible under the faint moonlight.
I tried to make out its shape, but it kept shifting, fading every time I focused on it.
Unable to understand what was going on, I finally spoke,
"What are you?"
For a moment, there was silence. Then, the voice replied, closer this time, deep enough to rattle my mind.
::TO THINK THOU CANST ACTUALLY PERCEIVE THIS ONE::
I swallowed hard. The voice felt heavier now, almost pressing against my chest.
:: ART THOU THE DESCENDANT OF THE DIVINE? ::
'Descendant of the divine?'
The shadow within the fog began to take shape, growing larger and clearer.
It was massive, so huge it looked like it could swallow the entire forest in one bite.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, trying to sound calm, though my voice cracked a little.
::HMM. WELL, IT MATTERETH NOT. SUCH MUST BE FATE::
Three pairs of red eyes appeared in the fog, glowing faintly like dying embers.
Then, the head of a giant black bird slowly came into view. Its face looked like that of an eagle, only wrong.
Because instead of two, it had multiple eyes, each blinking and staring in a different direction.
Color drained from my face as I felt cold sweat run down my back.
Then it hit.
A clawing sensation tore into my mind, scraping, digging, like something trying to pull my very thoughts apart.
"AGHH!"
I quickly averted my eyes and knelt, trying my best to hold on to my sanity.
'An ocean class!?'
:: THOU HAST SUCH A FRAIL MIND, YET A SOUL SO POTENT. HOW PECULIAR:
The giant bird stirred, its massive wings folding as it slowly receded into the fog.
Its enormous form began to twist and shrink, the black mist wrapping around it like liquid shadow.
Bit by bit, its size collapsed, until the monstrous outline of feathers and eyes condensed into something… human.
When the fog cleared, a man stepped out.
Black hair. Crimson eyes. Barefoot. His expression was calm, too calm.
"This form and language seem more suitable for conversation," he said, his tone eerily familiar.
I froze. My mind blanked.
Because standing a few paces in front of me was me.
Not the Cale, but the me from the past life.
"Nice to meet you, strange soul," he said with a faint smile.
"I am the Great Mountain Spirit, A wandering spirit of dreams,
You can call me Orran."
I quickly gathered my thoughts and asked,
"That... form?"
The man looked down at himself.
"Is something wrong? Isn't this how you look?"
Only then did I notice, my own cloudy form resembled my past self, too.
I stood, still wary.
"What is this place? And what do you want from me?"
"This place is… hmm, let's just say my spiritual domain. As for what I want from you..."
He paused, then smiled faintly.
"To be honest, there's nothing you can give me. I merely sensed a strange disturbance and came to investigate, that's all."
His expression, my expression, felt strangely alien.
"Hmm. Isn't it you who needs help, strange soul?"
I stayed quiet.
'Is this because of Cale's spirit affinity?'
Orran tilted his head.
"How peculiar. Why dost thou refer to thyself in the third person, strange soul?"
A chill ran down my spine.
'He can read my mind!!'
"Not all of it," he said, smiling. "But yes, I can read your thoughts."
"...Ever heard of privacy?" I muttered, glaring at him, which felt ridiculous, since I was technically glaring at myself.
"Hmm. Never did. What is that? A food?"
"..."
My eyes twitched.
'Is he mocking me?'
"No, not at all. Mockery is beneath a being like me," he replied smoothly.
I sighed.
"Orran, was it? Please stop reading my thoughts."
"Hmm, alright."
"And stop talking like that, too."
"Hmm, I am trying to understand your manner of speaking, so bear with it for a while." Orran's crimson eyes glimmered faintly.
"...I-Is that so? It can't be helped then," I said nervously.
'It won't attack me out of nowhere, right? It's at least an Ocean-Class spirit. I wouldn't even stand a chance.'
"I won't," Orran answered again.
"Please stop reading my thoughts!"
"I'm working on it."
"..."
I exhaled sharply.
"So, Orran, since you already know my thoughts, I don't need to introduce myself. You must already know who I am."
"Hmm. Cale Tennebris," he said, eyes narrowing.
"A demon in disguise. Yes, I know a little about you."
I stayed quiet for a few seconds, then said,
"Right… then I'll get to the point. As you said before, I really do need help. The question is, what do you want in return for saving me from that knight?"
"Knight?" Orran tilted his head, as if confused.
"Hmm. It seems you don't quite understand the danger you're in."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
"First of all," he said, smiling faintly,
"You were inside a dream… under a powerful monster's influence."
"What!?"