Dreamweaver.

May 23, 1100 – Friday – 7:30 PM, Near River Saan, Inside Seyla's House

Seyla had just arrived home, utterly exhausted from the long day. He collapsed onto his couch, television flickering before him as he snacked and reclined.

Suddenly, a letter appeared out of thin air, floating right in front of him.

"What the hell…?" Seyla muttered, startled.

He sat up, brushed crumbs off his shirt, and reached out to grab the hovering envelope.

He broke the wax seal and unfolded the letter.

The handwriting was unmistakable.

"Hey Seyla, it's me, Maerin. My Lord wishes to meet you. But you'll need to reach your second or third form first. The place isn't safe otherwise.

It's called the Hollow of Drelm. Hidden in the Southern Continent. You'll have to come on your own when you're ready.

If you survive the Hollow… we'll be waiting. If you decide to come, write on the paper I gave you, and I'll send the exact coordinates. That's all. See ya!"

Seyla scowled. "Why is it every time I hear or read his name, I get annoyed? I still want to smack him in the head…"

He scoffed and burned the letter with a flick of his finger. Ever since absorbing the first form of Dream magic, his memory had sharpened to near perfection. He could recall anything he wanted, any time.

He settled back into his routine, lounging through the evening. Hours passed, and midnight finally came.

Seyla took a long, hot shower before heading to bed.

---

Seyla stood in the middle of the ruined city of L'Oreal. Screams echoed around him, smoke filled the sky, and the air stank of blood and burning wood. Buildings had collapsed, carriages were shattered, and bodies littered the streets.

He wandered through the eastern sector of the city, but no signs of life remained. Devastation stretched in every direction.

His breath came in short gasps. His hands shook. He ranthrough the empty streets, past the corpses toward the one place he thought he might find hope: the L'Oreal East Police Station.

But there was no one. He dropped to his knees at the entrance, despair crashing down.

Then—

"BANG!"

A loud explosion rang through the air.

Seyla stood and sprinted toward the sound, heading for the city center.

There, amidst the chaos, he saw them:

Loren, firing bullets into the sky. Nicole, her glowing sword slicing through the air as she soared. Ren, defending with strange power, canceling spells and mental manipulations. Ace, wielding green plant magic, healing the wounded while holding the line.

Others fought too, faces Seyla didn't recognize.

He followed their gaze upward… and froze.

There was no enemy.

Just a stone. Floating high in the night sky. Bright, unmoving. Pulsing.

Then the collapse began.

Loren fell. Nicole crumpled. The others followed, one by one.

The city dissolved into fragments, crumbling beneath him until only Seyla remained.

He looked up. The glowing stone pulsed again.

And then—

Everything vanished.

Endless darkness consumed him.

---

May 24, 1100 – Saturday – 3:44 AM

"Noo!" Seyla screamed as he jolted awake, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.

He sat for a moment, heart racing. Then he stumbled to the window and yanked it open.

Nothing.

Silence

.

Just the quiet night and the soft breeze.

His hands trembled as he whispered, "What kind of dream was that...?"

He stayed by the window for a long moment before returning to bed, muttering to himself.

"It was just a dream… just a dream…"

He sleep again.

---

May 24, 1100 – Saturday – 9:30 AM

Seyla woke again to the soft warmth of morning light.

He glanced at the clock. "Still need to go to the market… better clothes, a wallet… food too."

He patted his coat, feeling the weight of his money. "Wait. How much do I even have left?"

He counted in his head.

"Ten Crown notes from the captain… five gold marks exchanged, so fifteen Crowns total."

He checked his pouch. "twenty silver marks and twenty bronze from Maerin."

As he walked to the kitchen, he ran through the expenses.

"Three Crowns on sheriff equipment… six silver for carriage rides… seven silver and three bronze for the suitcase…"

He sighed. "Twelve Crown notes… five silver… seventeen bronze. Barely two weeks of survival."

His grip on the pouch tightened. "Money really does decide everything here."

In the kitchen, he found one egg and a sausage. He cooked them in silence, letting the sizzle fill the room.

He brought his plate to the couch. The television buzzed to life, flickering to the news.

He chewed slowly, his thoughts restless.

How the hell am I still watching TV?

His eyes swept the room.

How is my house even here?

He got up and stared out the window. The neighborhood looked… different.

Did my house come with me?

The thought sounded crazy, but the dream hadn't felt like a dream. It felt like a memory of something yet to happen.

The glowing stone…

He recalled Loren's words: "The Rune Stones of Dream exist somewhere inside dreams… but no one has proven it."

But I saw one. That thing in the sky.

Is it because I've swallowed the first Rune Stone? he wondered. And how did Maerin even give it to me…?

A knock interrupted his spiraling thoughts.

He stilled.

Another knock followed. Firm. Measured.

Seyla set his plate aside and moved carefully to the door.

He opened it.

Two figures stood on the threshold.