🌑 Chapter 35
"Those who walk in dreams… shape the fate of the waking world."
🛌 Scene: Sinjai Medical Wing — Aeren's Bed
The battle was over — for now.
Aeren lay on the medical cot, his breath shallow, muscles sore, but his mind… racing.
His sigil had calmed, but the doctors noticed something strange — his body had zero mana flow, yet he was still alive, and had defeated an invisible monster that even silver-tier seekers could not detect.
"His vitals are unstable.""He's not dying. He's… syncing with something.""With what?""We don't know."
🧠 Scene: Aeren's Dream Realm
In his unconscious state, Aeren was no longer in the academy.
He stood atop a floating platform of shattered stone and starlight.
In front of him — the cloaked man once again.
But this time… he took off his hood.
He had no face — only a glowing third eye in the center of his forehead.
"You've seen the first layer of truth," the figure spoke."Now comes the burden of memory."
Suddenly, thousands of swirling visions surrounded Aeren — cities falling, mountains breaking, beasts bowing, and seekers vanishing into nothingness.
"This is the fate of the Dreamwalkers. We existed before time had a name.""But your soul… is a broken piece of our kind.""The Eye you bear… is not a mark. It's a key."
📖 Flashback Vision: The First Eclipse War
Aeren was pulled into a memory — not his, but someone ancient.
He saw:
A world once ruled by Dreamwalkers — beings who controlled the four threads: Space, Time, Thought, and Reality.
They were guardians, but some rebelled — became corrupted by nightmares.
This led to the Eclipse War, where monsters were born from broken dreams — the first invasion of the Crosnic Verse.
In the end, one Dreamwalker locked his power away, splitting his soul across time, hoping one day… a worthy vessel would awaken it.
That soul… was now reborn as Aeren.
🌘 Scene: Awakening – "The Eye Opens"
Back in the real world—
Aeren's eyes shot open.
His irises flickered like clocks. He could see the flow of time and energy lines around everything.
"Anshi…" he whispered.
He sat up suddenly.
Anshi was asleep nearby, her hand still holding his.
He reached up and gently touched her forehead.
And then — a strange feeling.
He heard her thoughts.
"...please don't leave me again… please don't fight alone…"
Aeren's heart throbbed.
"Is this what she always feels?"
He didn't speak. But for the first time — he understood.
🏫 Scene: Headmistress Zia's Chamber
Instructor Zareth stood before the crystal archive orb, replaying the battle footage.
They watched in silence as Aeren caught a monster mid-air with bare hands.
"This power… shouldn't exist.""The last time we saw a ripple like this… was during the Eclipse."
Zia stood up.
"We must send him to the Depth Archives.""But he's just a first-year!""That's exactly why. If we wait longer… the enemy will reach him first."
☀️ Scene: The Morning Announcement
A hologram shimmered above the training field.
"To all first-year students:Due to rising threats and recent anomalies, the remaining qualifiers will be replaced.You will now participate in a Cross-Dimensional Combat Trial — a simulation built from real battlefield memory.Survivors will be ranked based on survival, combat, and analysis performance.Trial begins in 72 hours."
The crowd went silent.
Whispers started.
"Cross-dimensional?""Wait… wasn't that banned 30 years ago?""That's an S-tier simulation. People have… died in those.""Why now?"
Anshi gritted her teeth.
"This isn't fair…"
Aeren stood beside her, silent.
But inside him — something else stirred.
A voice whispered again.
"They're coming."
🕯️ Scene: Final Scene — The Dark Council Awakens
In a temple hidden in the mountain's shadow, cloaked figures sat around a crimson altar.
A glowing orb pulsed in the center.
"The Eye is active.""One of the lost vessels… is awakening.""If he bonds fully… the seal will break.""Then let the Sleeper awaken."
They chanted — and with every word, a storm gathered in the Crosnic sky.
🧠 Aeren's Powers (So Far):
Dreamwalking & Dream Realm Access
Power Suppression Lock (unstable form)
Mind Reading (Selective & Emotional Absorption)
Extreme Observation & Combat Analysis
Time and Space Perception (not yet under his control)
🌌 Chapter 36 Preview:
"The Trial of Memories – Entering the Forgotten War"The academy prepares for its most dangerous trial yet. But hidden within the simulation is a memory not meant to be seen — the forgotten truth behind the fall of the Dreamwalkers… and the monster who was once one of them.