As River walked around to find his dormitory, the weight of the introduction ceremony settled over him.
'The introduction ceremony was informative to say the least,'
The First Nightmare was unique to the individual. A twisted, personal hell shaped by the Nightmare Spell to test the sleeper. And if he had died back then, it wouldn't have ended with just him. A nightmare creature would have crossed over into the real world, free to wreak havoc.
But that was nothing compared to the Second Nightmare.
The real danger came from the Dream Realm itself. Unlike the First Nightmare, the Second wasn't tied to a single person—it was something born from the depths of the Dream Realm. Anyone could challenge it, and if left undiscovered for too long… the gate would open.
Countless creatures would flood into reality. Forcing Awakened soldiers to fight off the horde of creatures in hopes of preventing civilian casualties.
And yet, the Dream Realm was an entirely different beast.
There was no narrative to follow, no imposed objective. What you did there was up to you. The only people inside were those who came from the real world… and the monsters that mimicked them.
'There are no rules there. No limits. Anything can be lurking in the dark.'
Unlike the Nightmares, death in the Dream Realm didn't send creatures spilling into reality. But that was a small comfort when there was no telling what kind of horrors he might run into.
And the worst part? When the Winter Solstice arrived, he wouldn't have a choice.
Everyone would be transported to a random part of the Dream Realm. Most would end up relatively close to each other, but even that was a gamble. Survival would come down to luck, skill, and whether or not he could find others before something else found him.
The safest bet would be reaching a human citadel and using its gateway to escape. But if that wasn't an option… he'd have to search for an unclaimed gateway. Those were always guarded. To get through, he'd have to work with others.
That was the part that bothered him the most. He wasn't used to relying on others, let alone trusting them. The outskirts had taught him that people were more often a threat than an asset. That there was no one you could trust besides yourself.
But there was no chance of him surviving if he was alone; that was simply the way it was. Nightmare creatures were often too powerful for a single sleeper to take down single-handedly.
While his thoughts were still circling the inevitable, River finally reached his dormitory. He had time to prepare. Weeks, at best. Then, he'd see just how long he could last.
River sighed and pushed open the door to his room, hopefully it was better than the place he stayed in the outskirts.
The moment the door swung open, though, his instincts screamed at him.
Someone was inside.
He barely had a second to process before his gaze landed on the figure lounging on the bed opposite his bed. A broad, muscular frame. Sharp, animalistic eyes. A grin that sent a chill down his spine.
'No fucking way.'
The boy sitting in his dorm was none other than the bloodthirsty kid from two years ago–the one River had caught standing over a pile of mutilated bodies, grinning like he was having the time of his life.
His throat went dry.
The other sleeper barely looked surprised. If anything, his smirk widened, a lazy kind of amusement in his expression as he rested his chin on his palm.
"…Oh?" His voice was the same. A low, silky drawl thrumming with amusement. "Well, isn't this something? I have a roommate?"
River kept his face blank, but his grip tightened on the strap of his bag. He wasn't stupid enough to let his guard down, not with him.
The sleeper's smirk deepened as he looked River up and down, his tone carrying an unmistakable taunt. "I gotta say… I'm a little disappointed." He tilted his head slightly, studying him like a puzzle he was trying to solve... "I was hoping my roommate would have a little fight in them, but you seem weak."
'This damn flaw of mine…'
River didn't react. He kept his posture relaxed, but his eyes stayed locked onto him, watching for the slightest shift in his movements.
"And I was hoping my roommate wouldn't be a psychopath," River shot back, stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. "Guess we're both disappointed."
River dropped his bag onto the bed, his muscles tight with the instinct to stay on guard. Across from him, the madman's smirk faltered slightly, his brow furrowing in brief confusion. Then, as if a memory finally clicked into place, his face lit up with realization.
And then, he laughed. Loud, full-bodied.
"Oh, this is perfect," he chuckled, pushing himself upright with exaggerated enthusiasm. "Out of all the people they could've stuck me with, I get you."
He slapped his knee, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Man, talk about a reunion! What's it been? Two years?"
River didn't answer. He started unpacking his bag, hoping that if he ignored him long enough, he'd get bored.
But, of course, the sleeper thrived on being ignored.
"You look different," he mused, leaning forward with an impish grin. "A little taller… a little meaner."
River rolled his eyes and kept unpacking.
"Aww, c'mon, don't be like that," The maniac teased, kicking his legs over the side of the bed. "We go way back, don't we?" He gestured between them wildly. "Remember? You, me, and an alleyway full of dead guys?"
River clenched his jaw, trying his best to ignore him.
The sleeper leaned in slightly, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Hey, be honest… did you miss me?"
River didn't look up as he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, every day. I even set up a shrine in your honor."
The psychopath's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with mischievous delight. "A shrine, huh? I always knew I left a lasting impression."
River exhaled sharply through his nose and turned toward the door. "I'm getting food."
"Hey!" The sleeper shot up from the bed, bounding after him like an overexcited dog. "Don't run off just yet! We have so much catching up to do!"
River opened the door without responding.
"Wait, wait, wait!" The lunatic placed a hand to his chest, feigning deep, emotional pain. "You're seriously gonna leave me here all alone? You hurt me."
River paused just outside the door, looking over his shoulder with a flat, unimpressed stare. "You'll be alright."
With that, he stepped out with a groan and shut the door behind him.
Even as he walked away, he could hear his laughter echoing down the hall, loud and shameless.
'This is going to be a long few weeks.'
***
The cafeteria was massive with hundreds of sleepers filling each and every corner of the room up. River was starting to see why they had to double-book some of the sleepers' dorms, not that he was happy about it though.
'Did I commit some unforgivable crime in my past life?'
River gathered as much food as he could put onto his plate and found someplace to sit. River took his time with the food, ensuring that he savored and enjoyed every last bite. The food was a stark difference from the rats he occasionally had to eat in the outskirts, each flavor filled River's mouth with an overwhelming sense of pleasure.
After his meal, he was directed to a quieter corner for his appointment with the Academy personnel. The small office smelled of parchment and ink. A woman sat behind a sleek, spell-tech tablet, her expression warm but professional.
She smiled as he took a seat. "Before we begin, we'd like to off all new sleepers access to psychological counseling. Would you like to take advantage of this service?"
River hesitated, then shook his head. "No thank you."
Her smile didn't falter, but something in her eyes shifted. A quiet assessment, but she didn't press the issue. Instead, she moved on, tapping something into her tablet.
"Understood. Now, let's discuss your Aspect Ability." She glanced up, her tone remaining light. "Would you say it falls under combat, sorcery, or utility?"
River considered his answer carefully. "I think… all three."
A pause. The woman blinked, then tilted her head slightly. "All three?"
There it was. The skepticism.
"That's… quite the claim," she continued, studying him with polite doubt.
River fought the urge to sigh. He could already see where this was going. He hadn't even explained his abilities yet, and she had already dismissed him. His flaw at work again.
"I haven't had much time to figure everything out," he admitted, keeping his voice steady, "but from what I've tested, it fits all three categories."
She hummed thoughtfully, her fingers gliding over the tablet's surface. "Interesting"
The word was empty. A nice way of saying, I don't believe you.
"Can you describe the ability in more detail?"
River debated how much to say. He wasn't stupid–giving away too much information was asking for trouble. But if he downplayed it too much, she'd dismiss him even further.
"My body can emit an aura of cold," he said carefully. "It slows down enemies, has some offensive potential, and could be used for support or utility in the right situations."
Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she nodded, continuing to take notes. "I see. And have you tested its limitations?"
"Somewhat. Overuse causes frostbite."
Another nod. Another empty hum of acknowledgment.
The woman's fingers moved slightly over the tablet, but when she looked up, there was no sign of being impressed. Just another measuring glance, another silent calculation.
River knew that look.
'She thinks I'm full of shit.'
The rest of the interview didn't go much different, continuing in a similar way. It didn't matter what he said–she'd already made up her mind. To her, he wasn't a sleeper with potential. He was just another desperate kid from the outskirts, making up stories to sound stronger than he was.
He exhaled through his nose, forcing himself to stay calm. It wasn't new. People had been underestimating him his whole life. But that didn't make it any less infuriating.
Once she finally finished typing, she then set the tablet down with a practiced, neutral smile. "Thank you for your cooperation, River. Your evaluation will be considered for ranking placement."
He stood, keeping his expression carefully neutral. "Right."
The woman gave him a dismissive nod. "You're free to go."
River left without another word, his jaw tight.
As he stepped into the hallway, he ran a hand down his face and exhaled slowly.
'I'm getting real fucking tired of this.'
***
The next morning, River woke up to the faint hum of the underground ventilation system. He stretched and yawned, feeling the lingering warmth of the bed. It was a strange luxury that he wasn't used to, and for a moment, he almost wanted to stay a bit longer.
'Is it really that bad to take a break for once?'
But the sound of his roommate's loud snoring snapped him back to reality. River glanced annoyingly at the other bed, his roommate still passed out, sprawled in a way that left the entire bed looking like it was barely holding together.
River silently sighed and got dressed, moving with practiced efficiency. He'd learned how to stay quiet during his time in the outskirts, and this wasn't any different. Quickly grabbing his bag, River snuck out of the room before his roommate could wake up. He was not in the mood to have any sort of interaction with that lunatic.
As he left his dorm room and headed towards the cafeteria, he could hear the faint sounds of chatter and footsteps. The building was waking up, just like him.
The cafeteria wasn't all too crowded, it was still early in the morning and most people hadn't gotten out of bed yet. There was one familiar face though in the crowd of sleepers. The tree man himself, Earl of Oak. He was facing a large screen hanging on the wall of the cafeteria, quite engaged in a conversation with a few other sleepers.
River couldn't care less, though, and quickly filled up his plate and found a nice spot away from the crowd of people. He selected less than he had last night, slightly regretting how it made him feel. And as he took his time with it, the crowd around the large screen continued to grow with a bunch of shocked whispers. Finally, having his interest piqued, River left his plates to be cleaned up by many of the robots infused with spell tech, and the Academy had to do the mundane tasks around the facilities.
The large screen displayed the ranks that each sleeper had been given after their interviews, from weakest to strongest. Unsurprisingly, River found his name at the very bottom of the list. But as River moved his way up the list, he found out what everyone was really talking about.
"Am I dreaming?"
"Is the Spell insane, what the hell is that name?"
"There's no way that's true…"
At the very top of the list, the portrait of a familiar crimson-haired sleeper wielding a shit-eating grin could be seen right at the top.
To the right of it, two simple lines of text were displayed.
"Name: ???"
"True Name: Tongue Ripper"
River's stomach twisted as his eyes locked onto the name at the top of the list. A lump flowed in his throat. His tongue was still there–for now.
'I'm so fucking dead.'