The Extra-dimensional Pioneer Of Fiction [Draft]

Arlo jolted awake, his breath catching in his throat. His body ached as though he had physically battled something monstrous, and his vision swam for a moment before clearing. As he blinked rapidly, trying to reorient himself, Nancy's face swam into focus first—her dark eyes wide, hands gripping his shoulders to steady him. Then he look at the worried faces of Tina and Glen came into focus.

Nancy leaned in closer, her eyes full of concern. "Are you okay? You were thrashing around like you were fighting something. I had to wake you up."

Arlo slumped back against the couch, sweat cooling on his skin. "Thanks, Nancy. I needed that." His neck throbbed where Freddy's claws had had grabbed him, and his heart sank. This isn't just in the dream world anymore... it's bleeding into reality.

As he tried to gather his thoughts, a notification blinked in the corner of his HUD.

[MP: 20/195]

[Warning: Your Mana is Critically Low]

The sight made his stomach drop. "You've got to be kidding me," he muttered under his breath. How the hell did I burn through so much MP?

Tina, her voice trembling, broke the silence. "What happened in your dream? Did you... see him?"

Arlo nodded grimly, his expression dark. "Yeah, I saw him. Just like you described, a red-and-green sweater, a fedora, and that glove. He's real, Tina, and he want something that I can tell."

Tina's face paled as she hugged herself tightly. "Oh my God... I knew it. I knew I wasn't crazy."

Arlo's voice softened as he leaned forward, meeting her gaze. "You're not crazy. But you need to listen to me carefully. Don't sleep alone. If you have another nightmare, someone has to wake you up immediately. It's the only way to break his hold on you."

Tina nodded shakily, her fear evident. "I'll try. I promise."

Glen placed a comforting hand on Tina's shoulder. "Don't worry. Nancy and I will stay with her tonight. We won't let her face this alone."

Arlo's serious expression didn't waver. He sighed, glancing at all three of them. "Good. That's a start. But don't let your guard down. Freddy feeds on fear, and he's relentless. The moment you think you're safe is when he'll strike."

Nancy frowned, worry etched across her face. "What about you, Arlo? What are you going to do?"

"I'll keep working on finding ways to stop him," Arlo said firmly. "But you all need to be extra cautious tonight. Freddy's not bound by normal rules, and he's not going to give up easily."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the situation settling over them. Tina's hands trembled slightly, and Nancy reached out to steady her. Glen, though trying to appear confident, couldn't hide the nervous edge in his voice when he spoke. "You really think he'll come back tonight?"

Arlo nodded. "I do. He doesn't stop until he gets what he wants. But if you stay together and wake each other up if anything seems off, you'll have a fighting chance."

Standing, Arlo adjusted his jacket and slung his bag over his shoulder. He paused at the door, looking back at the three of them. "Stay strong. Don't give in to fear."

As he stepped outside, the cool night air hit him like a splash of water. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering dread that clung to him. Turning back, he saw the warm light of Tina's house glowing against the darkness. Was it enough? Did I give them a real chance?

He shook his head, forcing himself to focus. "No point doubting now," he muttered. "I have to figure out how to end this."

With one last glance at the house, Arlo started walking down the quiet street, his thoughts racing. I was lucky to survive my encounter with Freddy Krueger. He wasn't just a story anymore, he was a predator, and Arlo was determined to stop him. Even if it meant putting himself in harm's way again.

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[ Smith's Farm house]

The morning light filtered through the curtains as Arlo splashed water on his face. He stared into the mirror, droplets trailing down his cheeks as he reflected on the events of the previous night. His fingers absentmindedly touched the faint bruises on his neck, a grim reminder of Freddy Krueger's grasp. 

"I should've stayed with them," he muttered, his voice low and laced with guilt. "But what could I have done? I'm just an outsider to them, a seer, not a friend."

He wiped his face with a towel and pulled on a fresh gray turtle neck sweater that looks presentable

"Arlo?" Mrs. Smith's knock shattered the silence. "Breakfast's ready."

He tugged his collar higher, hiding the bruises. "Be right down."

The kitchen smelled of bacon and maple syrup, but Arlo's stomach churned. Mr. Smith glanced up from his paper, brow furrowing. "You look like hell, son."

"Migraine," Arlo lied, forcing a smile. "Late night researching."

Mrs. Smith stood at the stove, humming quietly as she flipped pancakes. She turned with a warm smile when she noticed him. "Good morning, Arlo. Did you sleep well?"

Arlo forced a small smile, though the weight of failure hung heavy on his shoulders. "Morning, Mrs. Smith. I got some rest." His voice betrayed the truth, but Mrs. Smith simply nodded, sliding a plate onto the table.

Before he could sit, the sharp chime of the doorbell echoed through the house. Mr. Smith, reading the newspaper, folded it neatly and stood to answer. "Wonder who's visiting so early," he mused, heading for the door.

Moments later, Arlo's ears caught the familiar, authoritative tone of Detective Donald Thompson.

"Good morning, Donald" Donald said as he stepped inside. "I'm here on official business."

Arlo stiffened, his danger intuition flaring faintly as he overheard the conversation. When Donald mentioned Tina Gray's name, his chest tightened.

Mr. Smith entered the room with Detective Donald Thompson following close behind. Detective Thompson, a tall man with a stern demeanor and a sharp gaze, carried an air of authority that made the space feel smaller. He extended his hand to Arlo, who hesitated for a moment before shaking it firmly.

"Arlo, I'm Detective Thompson," the man said, his voice low and measured. "I need to ask you some questions regarding Tina Gray. I understand you were with her last night."

Donald continued. "Tina was found dead this morning, and I'm here to ask Arlo a few questions about the case."

The words hit Arlo like a punch to the gut. Tina's fate was sealed despite his intervention. He clenched his fists, his mind racing. Even with me here, nothing changed. Freddy still got to her. What's the point of being a seer if I can't save anyone?

Donald and Mr. Smith entered the living room, where Arlo sat at the edge of the couch, his posture tense. Donald wasted no time. "Arlo, I understand you were with Tina last night. Can you tell me what happened?"

Arlo took a steadying breath. "She invited me over because she was having nightmares and wanted help interpreting them. Nancy Thompson and Glen Lantz were there as well." His voice was calm, but inside, guilt gnawed at him like a ravenous beast.

Donald scribbled in his notepad, nodding as Arlo spoke. "And what did Tina say about these nightmares?"

"She mentioned being chased by a man in a red-and-green sweater, a fedora, and a glove with knives for fingers," Arlo replied. He hesitated, unsure if he should reveal his suspicions about Freddy Krueger.

Donald's brow furrowed slightly. "That lines up with what Nancy and Glen said. For now, you're not a suspect. We're focusing on Rob Lane, Tina's boyfriend. There's evidence pointing to a domestic dispute."

Arlo swallowed hard, forcing himself to maintain his composure. "I understand. Am I in any trouble, Sir?"

Thompson shook his head. "Not at the moment. If anything changes, we'll contact you." He closed his notebook and turned to Mr. Smith. "Thank you for your cooperation. If you remember anything else, don't hesitate to reach out."

As Thompson exited, Mrs. Smith turned to Arlo, her face lined with concern. "Are you alright, dear? That sounded awfully stressful."

Arlo offered a small, forced smile. "I'm fine, Mrs. Smith. Thank you for asking."

Mr. and Mrs. Smith began discussing the tragedy in hushed tones, their voices tinged with sadness. Arlo excused himself and returned to his room, closing the door behind him.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Arlo pressed his palms into his temples, his thoughts spiraling. It wasn't enough. Freddy still got to her. Tina's death... it's like I'm stuck in this script, unable to change anything.

He opened his BrainLink, reviewing the notifications from his previous encounters. Each statistic and alert felt like a cold reminder of his limitations.

"Rob Lane is next," he muttered to himself. The story is still following the same trajectory. If I'm going to stop Freddy, I need to break the pattern, but how?

Determined, Arlo began devising a plan. If I can anticipate Freddy's next move, I might have a chance to save Rob and other. But I need to act fast. Freddy won't wait.

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The room was dimly lit even it was early morning, Then Arlo activated his [Analysis] for a indepth research about his situation.

[Processing Data....]

The all information of Freddy Krueger from his mind is flowing, images, movies, and research.

[Analysis Complete]

Primary weapon: Bladed leather gloves

Skills: Dream Manipulation, Nightmare Inducement, Dream Projection, Dream Snare, Fear Affinity

Known Weakness:

Cannot spread his influence beyond Springwood

Cannot return if no one remembers him or is afraid of him

Being pulled out of the dream world, in which case, he is mortal, cannot use most of his power

Adversely weak against mirrors and reflections, as they come to recall his pain and torment that he has long inflicted on others

He constantly plays with his main targets or heavily gloats sometimes, leading his victims to have an chance to take advantage of that, He seems to have a hard time killing those who has a strong will and control over their dreams

Suggestion: Fight Along side with an Ally to increase the chance of defeating him, Exorcise Freddy Krueger to banish the three dream demon, Insult him or make fun of him to him weaken his strength, and use fire to attack Freddy.

His finger stopped at the weaknesses section, reading carefully. "Cannot spread influence beyond Springwood. If killed, he cannot return if no one remembers or fears him. Pulled into the waking world, he's mortal… afraid of fire. Hmm, and… mirrors?"

The last point intrigued him. Mirrors? That was something he recalled from the movies. But the suggestion that they could evoke his pain and torment made sense. It aligned with Freddy's weakness to strong-willed individuals.

"He thrives on fear," Arlo mused. "Break that, and he's just another psychopath with a burnt face."

Suggestions populated the screen: Fight with allies to increase survival chances, exorcise Freddy Krueger to banish the dream demons, and Arlo paused, a faint grin tugging at his lips, insult or make fun of him to weaken his strength. "Talk about hitting where it hurts. Guess even dream demons can't handle a good roast session."

Arlo closed the BrainLink and leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, Freddy. Time to taste your own medicine."

.......

The next few days became a whirlwind of preparation. Arlo purchased bottles of alcohol, rags, and matches, crafting six Molotov cocktails with meticulous care.

"Classic survival horror logic," he muttered, stuffing the last rag into a bottle. "Fire beats evil 90% of the time unless it's a fire demon. Then you're screwed."

He also delved into exorcism rituals, prayers and methods from ancient texts via the local library. Latin phrases scrolled across the books, and Arlo repeated them under his breath, his pronunciation improving with each attempt.

"If this doesn't work, at least I'll sound like an extra from The Exorcist," he joked.

The holy water was harder to come by, requiring a trip to the nearest church. The priest eyed him curiously when he asked for a blessing over a small vial.

"You seem young for such strong faith," the priest said. "Let's just say I've seen enough to believe, Father" Arlo replied cryptically, tucking the vial into his bag.

He also purchased a wooden cross from a local store, holding it in his hand as he returned to the Smiths' farmhouse.

"You'd better work," he whispered to the cross, as though it could hear his plea. "Because I'm running out of options."

By the third day, his plan was coming together. Arlo sat amidst his makeshift arsenal, reviewing the data once more. Freddy's ability to manipulate dreams was his greatest strength, but it also meant his ego was a double-edged sword. If Arlo could bait him, taunt him, and break his focus, there might be a chance to pull him into the waking world.

"An ally," Arlo muttered, staring at the suggestion. He thought of Nancy and Glen. Only Nancy had survived Freddy's onslaught in the movies, but only barely. Could they help him in this fight? Would they even believe him if he explained?

The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Mrs. Smith appeared in the doorway, her warm smile a temporary balm to his anxiety. "You've been busy, Arlo. Everything alright?"

"Yeah," he said, managing a faint smile. "Just... working on some research."

She nodded, her gaze softening. "Whatever you're planning, be careful, dear. You're a good boy. Don't let this town's darkness pull you under."

Her words struck a chord, and Arlo felt a pang of guilt. He hadn't told the Smiths the full extent of the danger surrounding Springwood. "I'll be careful," he promised.

As Mrs. Smith left, Arlo returned to his preparations. He couldn't shake the weight of her words. This wasn't just about defeating Freddy; it was about protecting the innocent people caught in his web. People like Tina, like Nancy, and Glen.