Ah...
Tired.
Sleepy.
As I stared at the ceiling, I couldn't help but reflect on my current state. To be honest, I had a certain feeling about this exhaustion.
The Nightmare. I had been infected by the Spell.
The Winter Solstice was only yesterday. Frankly, I wasn't sure if I was lucky or cursed. On one hand, if I passed the First Nightmare now, I'd have a full year of preparation before the actual Winter Solstice. On the other hand, I was unlucky enough to get infected at the very first opportunity.
Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter. After all, I am confident enough to overcome the First Nightmare. What I'm actually worried about is my Aspect Rank.
Gods. I must obtain a Divine Rank. Anything below that would be insignificant. I would feel ashamed of myself if a slave who knows nothing of the basics, or a girl with no brain, could obtain a Divine Aspect while I failed to do so. Even Mordret got his when he was only twelve years old.
Hmmmm. I guess nothing else really matters. I suppose I have three days before I completely surrender to the Spell. Yet, why wait? I don't think three days will change my readiness for what awaits me. I have been preparing for ten years.
Well, that's all I have.
"Come out," I said quietly while staring blankly at the ceiling.
Before I realized it, I heard the voice of a maid coming from beside the door.
"Yes, my Prince."
"You noticed it, didn't you?" I asked calmly. The maid, kneeling on her knees, showed no change as she spoke.
"Noticed what, Sire?"
"I am infected by the Spell."
"..."
Silence reigned for a few seconds before I heard her voice again, this time more hushed and calculating. "I understand, Sire. I will inform the Queen..."
"Don't lie."
"....."
"I know you have already informed her."
How pitiful. I couldn't help but think. After all this time, she is still more loyal to my mother than to me. Well, I can't blame her; I am the one who causes trouble. In fact, if my mother didn't realize that even placing a Saint to protect and track me would fail, perhaps the maids assigned to guard me would change every single day.
"Well, despite my strong desire to do something about your lie, I am far too lazy."
"Hahaha, actually, I don't need to scold you; my sisters will take care of that."
As I said this, I felt her move—not out of fear, but confusion. It seems she didn't understand. Hahaha.
"How unfortunate that you didn't try to stop your young Prince from falling asleep and resisting the Nightmare before he met them."
"My Prince, do you mean—"
I didn't hear what she said because I had already begun to surrender to sleep.
«I would rather die in the Nightmare than say goodbye to them as if I were going to die in the Nightmare.»
With that last thought, orien finally slipped into a deep slumber. Everything became black. And then, in the darkness, a faintly familiar voice rang: [Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]
I dreamed of a land without light. There were vast stretches of polished coral covering endless giant lands, and right in the middle of it was a colossal tower that looked like a sword piercing the sky. At the top of the tower, a white sun glowed with a faint light, looking as if it were about to be extinguished.
The world suddenly stopped. Then it began to spin again very fast, frantically, as if hundreds of years were passing in moments. In every moment, the sun rose larger and larger until it seemed to swallow all traces of darkness from the surrounding areas.
And suddenly... the sun vanished. And in its place, seven people stood before the tower that pierces the sky.
There was a knight in an intricate plate armor forged of white metal, with a stalwart blade grasped firmly in his hands. A graceful priestess in a light flowing robe, her delicate hands shining with gentle light. A mighty hunter in an archaic cuirass leaning on a beautiful bronze spear. A masterful builder holding a mason's hammer in his calloused hands. A regal lord with a humble crown resting on his head, a single gem decorating its simple design. A subtle and merciless slayer with a ghostly stiletto hidden cunningly behind her back. And a stranger from a misty land who wore a stone-like armor and never showed his face, with a heavy round shield resting at his feet.
And behind them was a river of blood pulsing with rage.
as the last sacrifice, the seven heroes turned their weapons on themselves, thrusting them into their hearts. As the rivers of blood flowed to the Spire, seven streams of glowing crimson light moved above them and entered it from seven directions.
The heroes and the river of blood vanished, and darkness reigned over everything. [Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]
'What… what the hell is this?'
The first thing I did when I regained consciousness was look around. As my eyes adjusted, I realized I was in some kind of abandoned alleyway. This was good. I wasn't in immediate danger.
Secondly, my body. I lowered my head to stare, and soon a slender youth's body was revealed to me, looking to be in his late teens. Despite the body's weakness, I felt power pulsing within it, which was certainly due to my lineage.
Oh. The Runes. It wasn't that I had forgotten them, but simply that the initial danger assessment was more important than they were.
Hmmmmmmmm. as soon as i focused, shimmering runes appeared in the air in front of me.
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Author's Note:
"Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing great.
So, Orion's nightmare in the Land of Darkness has finally begun. To be honest, I wanted to share with you the massive headache I've had over the past three days trying to craft this first nightmare. I struggled with how to present it appropriately while keeping it logical.
I've always hated how some fanfiction novels give their protagonists first nightmares filled with Cursed or Divine Great Titans, and then have the MC somehow kill them. I mean, come on—if an Aspirant even catches a glimpse of a Cursed creature, they'd die instantly! Hahaha. Even Nephis and Sunny, as Saints, couldn't look directly at Condemnation, and that was just a Cursed Tyrant.
In any case, his nightmare will be the toughest anyone could ever face, yet it remains logical without exaggeration. Hahaha... you will also soon find out why I added the 'Villain' tag to this novel."