Whispers of the forgotten

Chapter 2: Crossing the First Dream

A Silent Dread

The room was suffocatingly quiet. Morpheus stood among his peers, facing the gateway to the first dream test. Anxiety rippled through the group, but no one dared to show their fear. For Morpheus, however, this moment felt hauntingly familiar. He had faced this dread before—back when he was pulled into the Ethera realm at the age of fourteen.

Standing at an imposing height of 190 cm, Morpheus towered over his peers. His sharp, striking features were framed by black hair that cascaded down to his neck, giving him an air of dark mystery. But it was his eyes—deep, hollow black pools—that drew attention. They were lifeless, as if reflecting the void within, exuding a cold detachment that made it hard for anyone to truly connect with him.

Entering the Dream

When the gateway opened, everyone was pulled inside as if an invisible force had drawn them in. The world they entered was a boundless void filled with shifting shadows. The shadows moved subtly, but their ominous hum reverberated in the air like a low, menacing growl.

This was the first trial—a dream designed to determine whether the candidates could connect with the Ethera energy. Yet, these were not ordinary monsters; they were spiritual entities, created from the very essence of Ethera itself.

"Feeling the Ethera is the key here. Without it... you die." The words of the academy instructor echoed in Morpheus's mind.

The First Attack

One of the shadowy entities floated toward a student beside Morpheus. The entity, formless and dark, radiated an aura of dread. The student screamed, flailing helplessly as he failed to feel the energy within himself. In a blink, the entity lunged, consuming his spirit and leaving his lifeless body to collapse to the ground.

Morpheus instinctively stepped back, his heart pounding. "This world is merciless," he thought, watching the horrifying scene.

The entities began to close in on the remaining students, moving like hunters closing on their prey. Morpheus remembered the instructor's advice: "Don't fight the entities physically. Feel the energy inside you; use it to destroy them."

Morpheus's First Battle

A shadowy entity rushed at Morpheus, drawn to the emptiness that seemed to emanate from him. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the chaos around him. For a moment, he felt a strange warmth—like a silent pulse echoing in his soul.

"This... this is Ethera," he whispered.

Opening his eyes, he raised his hand toward the entity. An invisible burst of energy surged from within him, obliterating the spirit into fragments of fading light. He stood still, breathing heavily, feeling the weight of survival press against his chest.

The Loss of a Friend

As the battle ended, Morpheus scanned the void for his closest friend, Ivan. He saw Ivan struggling against a shadowy figure, desperately trying to summon Ethera. But the energy did not come to him. Before Morpheus could intervene, the shadow consumed Ivan's spirit, leaving his lifeless body to collapse into the endless void.

Morpheus froze, his mind blank as he watched his friend disappear.

Return to Reality

When the survivors returned to the academy, they were exhausted and shaken. Morpheus sat in a quiet corner, his dark hair damp with sweat and his hollow eyes staring into nothingness.

"What is the point of all this?" he thought, looking down at his trembling hands. "Why does humanity cling to life in a world so devoid of mercy?"

The Instructor's Explanation

The silence was broken as the academy instructor entered the hall. A tall man with a sharp gaze and a graying beard, he commanded attention without effort. He began speaking, his voice steady and authoritative:

"What you experienced was merely the beginning. The Ethera energy is the foundation of this world. Those who master it ascend through nine layers of power, starting as Ethera Initiates and climbing to the ultimate stage, Supreme Ascension. But this is just the first step."

He gestured toward a large map hanging on the wall. "The world consists of four continents. The first is our home, the realm of humans. The second is the demon continent, filled with horrors beyond imagination. The third is the realm of chaos, inhabited by wild beasts. The fourth... is a mystery. No one who ventures there ever returns."

The instructor paused, his eyes scanning the room. "You have passed the first dream, but the true challenges lie ahead. In the second dream, you will learn to channel Ethera into combat and test your synchronization with it. The third dream... that is where you will choose your combat class and achieve harmony with your power."

The Combat Classes

The instructor continued, "When the time comes, you will select your combat class from the following options:

1. Warrior: Masters of brute strength and weaponry.

2. Knight: A balance of offense and defense, wielding shields and honor.

3. Mage: Manipulators of Ethera, unleashing devastating magical attacks.

4. Seer: Visionaries who glimpse the future to shape battles.

5. Berserker: Harnesses untamed Ethera energy, becoming an unstoppable force.

6. Marksman: Precision fighters specializing in ranged combat.

7. Shade: Stealthy assassins, striking from the shadows.

8. Spiritualist: Healers and destroyers, connected deeply to the spiritual realm.

9. Harmonic: Rare individuals who blend multiple abilities, achieving ultimate synergy."

The End of the First Dream

As the instructor finished, Morpheus sat in silence, reflecting on the day's events. Despite his survival, he felt no triumph—only the weight of Ivan's death.

"This world... it's as cruel as it is mysterious," he muttered, his hollow eyes fixed on the flickering torchlight.

For Morpheus, the test was over, but the battle within him was just beginning.