Morpheus and Matthew emerged from the swirling portal, stepping into the grand halls of the Dreaming. The air was thick with the scent of ancient tomes and the distant hum of whispered dreams. Lucien stood by the towering bookshelves of the library, her keen eyes scanning a thick volume in her hands. She looked up the moment she sensed Morpheus’s arrival."You returned sooner than I expected," Lucien remarked, closing the book gently. "Did you find out what’s happening with Constantine?"Morpheus’s expression was unreadable, his posture rigid. "There is a barrier around her apartment—one that repels even my presence. It is unnatural. Something is at work here, something tied to the Rune." He turned his gaze to the endless rows of books that lined the Dreaming’s library. "I need you to search the ancient records for any mention of the Gatekeeper of the Rune."Lucien’s brow furrowed slightly as she considered his request. "The Gatekeeper of the Rune... the title itself is rare, if not u

As Matthew circled above Constantine, keeping to the shadows, an unsettling feeling prickled at his senses. He had been watching over the waking world long enough to recognize when something felt wrong.Then he saw it.A figure moving in the darkness, not following Constantine, but simply existing in the waking world in a way that it shouldn't. At first glance, it looked human—tall, shrouded in a long coat that blended into the night. But there was something off. The way it moved, fluid and deliberate, as if it weren’t entirely bound by the rules of this realm.Matthew’s instincts screamed at him. That thing’s from the Dream.He had seen plenty of nightmares and creatures of the Dreaming in his time, but this one was different. It shouldn’t be here. And more than that—he knew, with absolute certainty, that Morpheus hadn’t created it.It moved without sound, without presence, a shadow slipping effortlessly through the gaps of reality. No one in the waking world noticed it. They walked

Matthew hesitated before hopping onto the windowsill, his claws clicking softly against the wood. He ruffled his feathers, trying to shake off the unease that had settled over him since witnessing the strange entity in the waking world. He needed to talk to Constantine.“Uh, hey, Constantine,” he said, his tone uncertain.Constantine, who had been pacing the room, stopped abruptly and turned to face him. Her expression was sharp, her eyes narrowed. "Matthew?"She folded her arms, studying him with suspicion. "Why do I get the feeling you've been watching me?"Matthew shifted on his feet, his wings twitching. "Well, uh... because I have."Her brow arched. "And why exactly have you been *monitoring* me?" Her voice was calm, but there was an edge to it—one that suggested she was already piecing things together.Matthew sighed. "Look, it's not like I wanted to skulk around spying on you. Morpheus sent me to keep an eye on things. He’s worried about you."Constantine exhaled through her no

The darkness in the corner of the room pulsed, its form shifting like smoke caught in a breeze. The whisper returned, low and insidious, curling around Constantine’s thoughts like a serpent. *You are not strong enough to hold me.* Matthew flinched, his wings spreading slightly as if ready to bolt. “Oh, hell no. Nope. That’s not normal.” Constantine clenched her jaw, forcing herself to remain still. Whatever this thing was, it fed on weakness. Fear. And she was not about to give it either. She closed the book with a deliberate motion and straightened her posture. “You’ve been in here all along, haven’t you?” she said, her voice steady. “Not just watching—waiting.” The air thickened. The shape in the corner pulsed again, its edges fraying like unraveling cloth. *You think you understand?* the voice hissed. *You are nothing but a vessel. A crumbling shell. The Rune will fall, and I will be free.* Constantine exhaled sharply through her nose. “That so?” She reached into her

Matthew beat his wings hard, pushing himself higher into the sky, desperate to slip through the veil between realms. The city lights stretched out beneath him, a grid of shimmering gold and white, but he barely noticed. His thoughts raced faster than his wings.He needed to reach the Dreaming. Fast.The air around him shimmered as he felt the pull of the Dreaming trying to draw him in. Normally, the transition was seamless, like stepping through a door. But this time, something resisted. It was subtle, like flying against an invisible current, but he could feel it."Oh, come on, not *now*," Matthew muttered, pushing forward with all his might.Then, with a final push, he broke through.The Dreaming unfolded around him in a swirl of color and mist, the ever-shifting landscape stretching infinitely in all directions. Towers twisted toward the sky, forests breathed with an unseen wind, and the air hummed with the quiet echoes of dreams. But something was off.The sky was darker than usua