Nightmare Game
Copyright© 2025 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 55
Clara left, having briefly considered going back home but quickly realizing the world’s corrections would erase not just Albert’s existence but any remnants he left behind.
That killed the idea for her.
Before going, she told Ethan that those who pass the trial stage usually enter their first real Dreamplay about two weeks later.
This Dreamplay would notify him three days in advance through a dream, giving him time to prepare mentally.
“If I don’t sleep on the third day, could I skip this Dreamplay?”
Ethan asked curiously.
“Of course it’s not that easy; others have tried staying awake, but when the time comes, you’ll enter the dream regardless of your will.”
Clara suddenly thought of something, glanced at him, and said solemnly. “One more thing you need to watch out for: while Dreamwalkers are usually on the same side, in life-or-death moments, some turn into backstabbers.”
“Against people like that, even if you feel like killing them, never do it yourself, or you’ll invite unpredictable disaster.”
She didn’t elaborate much on that, but Ethan caught her implication.
The best approach was to use the monsters in Dreamplay to eliminate threats, like how he’d handled Lucas and Serena; it removed the danger without backlash.
“By the way, if you find your Dreamplay too tough, contact me; I’ll help if I can.”
In the end, she left him a business card.
It read Nightmare Game, apparently a club organized by Dreamwalkers themselves.
For Ethan, it sounded like a perfect spot to trade information, but in his current state, he couldn’t go anywhere.
He tucked it away for now, to figure out later.
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, twelve days had passed, and Ethan felt unusually empty during that stretch.
Every night, he’d arrive at the Manor in his dreams, but still no sign of those five companions; the vast place held only him.
Missing out on information from them was minor; it was the loneliness that hit hardest, leaving him with an hollow feeling inside.
He’d read books, play piano, work out, or paint.
His paralysis made him treasure any chance to move freely even more.
At first, he’d thought maybe Fox was behind it, pulling some prank with the others, but after so many days, he had to admit it wasn’t that simple.
Still, he didn’t believe his companions had abandoned him; perhaps some crucial factor was keeping them from appearing.
That night, he drifted into sleep once more.
His consciousness sank into darkness, his body feeling like it was falling endlessly, followed by a whisper echoing directly in his mind.
[Attention everyone: Madam Arachne will activate in three days; prepare accordingly.]
Madam Arachne?
Ethan snapped awake, realizing this must be the Dreamplay’s name.
Far from fear, he felt thrilled; compared to plunging back into a terrifying eerie world, an unchanging routine scared him more.
He had a gut feeling that Dreamplay was the culprit behind the changes in his dreams, and as he progressed through them, he’d uncover the secrets lurking beneath.
Soon enough, the three days were up.
Nighttime.
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