“If we head back, we could fight against the tar monster if it came back… actually this is me being optimistic. For all we know, a more terrifying creature might show up to pick up the next meals for the Dreamer.“What days you that our meager imaginative attempts at fighting back would be able to survive the onslaught of a new monster or maybe of a new and improved tar monster?“Then it kills more of us and then the Dreamer keeps on harvesting energy until it’s strong enough to erase our memories and turn us into real animals that would even consider sacrificing our own in a bid to serve some crazy deity.” I ensured my voice conveyed my true emotions.It sounded like I was talking shit but it definitely wasn’t. These are possible ways the Dreamer could manipulate us into becoming docile creatures waiting for death.I and Isabella had spoken about something like that during our time last night.This wasn’t the time to cover up the truth.No.Lies would only cause them to believe false
After a few more people left, we were left with a round number of 120.Yeah, a total of 50 people had returned to the valley.The looks of despair was something I couldn’t miss.Even with the fear they felt, they still knew that what they were doing was basically the same as suicide.A few days would pass at most before the Dreamer would come for them.Even though I wanted to leave them to their fate, I didn’t think Dad would have done so if he was in my shoes.As long as we can complete this Nightmare on time and destroy the Dreamer… maybe we can save them.Hopefully.“Now that the cowards are gone.” Richard spoke without filter, something I expected from someone that only dealt with people based on the benefits they could give him.“I guess we should begin planning to go?” He turned to me as he asked.With a heavy heart, I nodded gently. “We need to know what’s in there so… we’ll organize a scouting party.”A few cadets crawled away from their positions after hearing the word, scout
The moment the thing’s eye opened, it sent a shiver down my spine.The sight was enough to make my vomit but the best I could do was wretch with discomfort and the others were barely any better in their reactions.It's single eye was the whole portion of the thing’s bulbous body.Red veins lined it and a red pupil stares at us, slowly observing us.My heart palpitated at the sight.What was it?It was clearly an Otherworldly but I still had to ask what it was.Just then it moved.First it looked at me, then moved to Reginald and then to Lincoln and then to Leah and finally rested on Isabella.While it’s gaze was on me, it felt like it was looking through my everything, assessing me.It was enough to send shivers down my spine.Just like that, the silent staring contest continued with no-one daring to move.Well, if we don’t add the tentacles wiggling about like disgusting worms.After almost an eternity passed, obviously an exaggeration, it attacked.It’s tentacles shot towards us, mo
The cadets looked nervous as they walked through the wall of fog.However their clever use of a formation was good enough, if at least to ensure that those that were more likely to be attacked first would be spared a few minutes of respite.As they surveyed their surroundings, they soon laid eyes on the empty husk of the Otherworldly that Reginald, Leah and Isabella had worked together to kill.They were stunned for a brief moment before they realized just what it was.A few gasped in admiration while others couldn’t help but turn to us, awed that we could kill an Otherworldly.Richard obviously noticed their reactions and didn’t miss the opportunity to make a statement. “As you can see, even though we are just cadets, we can still take care of the severely weakened Otherworldly that the Dreamer in it’s post-sealed state could summon.“So there’s no need to fear. We can win.”His speech ended on a high note and even I was moved slightly.Whether it was because of his overflowing chari
(Daryl’s POV)It wasn’t too long ago that I left them.The terror I felt after experiencing the crevice and the wall of fog was too much for me to bare.I could have collapsed mentally if I hadn’t left that place.Yeah, they might call me a coward.A betrayer for not going ahead but who could blame me?Unlike those talented ones, I have nothing.That fog clearly held death for us so why would I leave the comfort of the valley to attempt that crevice?Isn’t that the same as suicide?I might die here but… at least it won’t be painful.I won’t have to scream and shout out in agony.I could just close my eyes and die.Yeah, that’s better than going into that crevice.I hate it.I hate that I have to make such a decision.They might say that as a cadet, I was bound to face Otherworldly but who said I wanted to face them?The only reason I entered the academy was because of my mother.She had made a deal with a certain high ranking member of one of the 12 Great families.After ravishing her
(Daryl’s POV)The fire gutted everything in sight, reducing it to ashes.But strangely enough, it didn’t burn down completely.It was like a visual illusion but it seemed so real.The burning tents and bodies remained in a state where even though it looked like there was nothing more to burn, there was still so much more to burn.A perpetual state of burning.I gripped my shoulders as I shuddered while at the same time taking yet another step back.“Ah!” there was a scream not too far away from me.Based on the high pitch, it was obviously a girl.I expected the terror, after all, not only her but even the others had began to break down at the horrifying sight.However, her next words were what took me out and shook me to my very core.I’ll say this now… I never expected her words and yet even though I didn’t expect it, it felt vaguely familiar to me.“We… they are our fellow cadets!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.I stared in disbelief as I realized that she was right.Why?Be
(Daryl’s POV )EaahhhYet another blood curdling cry rang out as I kept running.How many would that make it now?Five?... Six?I couldn’t be sure.What I knew however was that for each scream that rang out, it meant yet another cadet had fallen into the hands of what used to be our fellow cadets, which had now turned into tar monsters that hunted us.The Dream was indeed a disgusting creature.After all, why couldn’t it attack us by itself or even use other creatures to attack us?Didn’t they say that the Dreamer could manifest other Otherworldly lower than it in ranking into it’s Nightmares?So why didn’t it do that, instead, the fucking bastard decided to use our own friends to hunt us down.It was most likely as a gag.A joke.Not only did it reveal to us that we were fools to think that we had figured it out.That we had been playing into the palm of it’s hands all this time.It also decided to show us our futile our attempt to escape was.This is so pathetic, so freaking patheti
(Daryl’s POV)It was unfortunate.Truly unfortunate… for the cadet that I just kicked though, not me.Hehe, the idiot thought he could outsmart me?He must be crazy!How dare he think to come for me?Which was why as my heel connected with his jaw, I had a bright smile on my face.Of course, my leg had screamed at impact since I was still hurting but I didn’t care.As long as the tar monster was occupied, I’d be able to escape.The bastard had a wrong expression on his idiotic face as he fell into the arms of the tar monster.He seemed on the verge of tears but before he could let out a sound, the creature impaled him through the chest.A pained scream rang out from the fool as he held the black stake protruding from his chest.I blinked at the scene at which point I caught from the corner of my eyes the bewildered expression of a fellow cadet.I recognized her.She was the one that had come up to me to inform me how I was the reason they managed to survive the crevice.Now not only d